No Tomorrow
by Guarding My Castle
Summary: Set during season 3, Countdown. After they defuse the bomb, Rick tries to tell Kate how he feels, but Josh shows up. Castle decides he will let Kate have her life and he will finally move on. For them, there is NO TOMORROW! Or is it possible to regain that feeling?
1. The breakup

**The TV Show Castle and all the players belong to Marlow/ABC/Disney. **

**I do not own them**. **I wish I did, but I don't**

**For my loyal fans. You know I normally do not do Angst. Sorry**  
**This one is Angst. Lots and Lots of Angst**

**It gets better**

**Remember the rules. My stories are based on legend but are A/U**  
**The story begins in season 3 around 'Countdown' **

* * *

Castle takes a blanket from the ambulance and wraps it around himself and he walks toward a similarly blanket covered Kate Beckett who is leaning against a police cruiser. As he approaches her location, he sees that she is staring, not at Castle, but her look is very affectionately directed at Doctor Motorcycle Boy who is still waiting by the ambulance.

"So he came back" Rick says as he leans on the car, next to Kate

"Yeah he did" Beckett responds without taking her eyes off the physician

"So what does that mean to you" Rick asks Kate. He is afraid of the answer that he knows is coming from her

"It means we have a chance" Her response with a higher pitch in the tone of her voice when she spoke the last word 'Chance'. There is now an element of hope in her for her relationship to bloom with Dr. Davidson

Wishing against hope that her answer was not what she just said, Richard Castle's heart sinks into his belly. He knows that this will be the end of any possible chance he had with her. He must now make his choice about what he will do now moving forward

During the last few months, he had been building up the courage to tell her how he feels.

He tried to get her to come with him over last summer and spend a couple of weeks relaxing in the Hamptons, but she was dating Detective Deming so Castle gave up and went with his ex wife out of desperation to not be there alone. At least with someone else with him there, he would have something, anything to take his mind off of Katherine.

But everyone knows how bad that turned out.

After he rejoined the team at the precinct and had again separated himself from his publisher and ex wife, he had the opportunity to hook up with the beautiful actress who would be playing Nikki on the big screen, Natalie Rhodes. But again he felt it was not the right thing to do. He passed on his chance with Natalie Rhodes all the while waiting, because he felt like Kate was the right choice.

The undercover kiss he placed on Kate's lips while attempting to rescue Esposito and Ryan was almost more than he could stand. He wanted to tell her what it really meant to him, but even then she was already committed to the medical professional that Castle has really grown to dislike, so he chooses to not push.

Castle watches and loves her from afar and he hurts for her each and every time the good doctor chooses the job over Kate. He sees that she is pulled back into a dark funk that only he seems to be able to bring her out of.

Then earlier in this case while they were in the isolation tent and she began telling him how she felt like she took second place in the doctor's life every time he went away to help save the world

"I wish I had someone who was there for me and I could be there for him and we could just dive into it together"

Again Rick tried to get the words to come out that he wanted a chance to put her in first place in his life, but the technician arrives too soon and broke the train of thought and told them they could leave.

In the freezer he thought he heard her say "I want you to know how much I lo."

What word was she going to say that began with the letter "L"

So now, standing outside recovering from the hypothermia they experienced in the freezer, Rick realizes he has no chance at all with Kate. She wants the relationship with the handsome doctor instead of him.

Rick uses this time to decide. He makes his decision. He will not under any circumstance get in the way of her happiness. After they complete the case before them, finding the nuclear materials, he will move on down the road. He will move out of her life and let her find the love she deserves. Even if it is with the doctor, or the detective, or the FBI agent, or someone other than himself. He will get out of her way and let her have her dreams

As Castle watches Dr. Davidson walk their direction, he decides to step away so they can have their reunion. Rick movers over near Agent Fallon with homeland security to allow the couple some time alone.

"When I first met you two, I thought you were together" Agent Fallon remarks

Castle looks toward the couple now huddled together and with all the strength he can bring to bear replies "No, we're just friends" It is what he cannot bring himself say that speaks volumes

Agent Fallon walks up to Detective Beckett "Can I see the two of you?" pointing away from their current location

"I guess I am going to need you two to help after all. What can you tell me about the bomb?"

* * *

The city wide hunt for the device brings Beckett and Castle into what will be ground zero.

Beckett begins to describe what her and Castle have discovered in the white van and why they believe that this is actually a home grown terrorist and that the family is being framed to make it seem like a foreign attack.

Agent Fallon tells Beckett and Castle to go after the van and try to find it.

Once located, Beckett uses her police cruiser to pursue the van and force it to pull over. After convincing Nazihah that the police had rescued her son she let Castle and Beckett try to disarm the bomb in the rear of the van

Once again Richard Castle and Kate Beckett find themselves in an impossible position. They are facing a dirty bomb ready to explode completely vaporizing the two of them but also rain nuclear fallout all over a large section of Manhattan leaving it uninhabitable for decades to come.

The pair both realize that they will not escape this event alive. They will die but they will be together. Looking painfully into each others eyes, Kate speaks one word. His name "Castle" Her voice filled with sorrow. Possibly indicating her regret for allowing what is about to transpire without ever opening up the truth buried deep within her.

Rick looks at Kate with equal fear, then grabs all the wiring to the device and without conscience thought pulls all the wires apart at once.

Neither believes that they are still alive. The look at the device to see the timer expired and they are both still breathing. They embrace like two lovers who have just been brought together for the first time. Then break apart in celebration

* * *

After all the official paperwork has been completed and the team is settled into the conference room to decompress, Homeland Agent Mark Fallon brings the pair together again to thank them. Once the congratulations are over, and Beckett and Castle are left alone. Rick tries one last time to gain the courage to say something to Kate. Anything!

Rick begins his statement

"I was thinking…" But before he can bring his thoughts to mind, he sees, over her shoulder, the approach of Kate's lover. A man that Rick knows he cannot compete with.

"I think I should go home. Get some rest. Goodnight." And he turns to walk away.

"Goodnight?" She responds with a tone of question in her voice

Kate did not realize that what brought the halt to Castle's statement was that Dr. Davidson was, at this very moment, walking up behind her. As this fine man of medicine pulls her into a hug, she watches her downtrodden partner step into the elevator. He leans his head to the back wall. She can see that his eyes are filled with defeat as the doors to the elevator close.

Beckett knows that something is different. This time he did not say he would see me tomorrow. He said goodnight. Like there was not going to be a tomorrow

She does not realize that this is the very moment he has decided that this thing between them is hopeless and he is defeated in his desire for them and therefore "This is over. He is done…"

For them, there is not going to be a tomorrow.


	2. Gone for good?

**To quote Rick Castle the morning after**

** I HAD NO IDEA! **

**I had no idea how much readers prefer Angst over fun stuff.**  
**This story has gotten more reads, reviews and favorites than any of my previous stories that were **  
** filled with fluff, love, humor, or drama**.

* * *

Monday morning brings the beginning of a new week to the detectives of the 12th precinct homicide unit. At least today here is no terrorist threat, no nuclear bomb hanging over the city. Just the normal run of the mill murders to start up the week.

Detectives Ryan and Esposito have arrived to find Detective Beckett already hard at work on cases. She is actually only going over reports on the cases that had been completed last week so they could be sent downtown. The cases that were still open before the feds invaded their little happy station with a terrorist case.

The two men hit the floor running helping Beckett with the reports Everyone on the floor is hard at work when Ryan looks up to the clock. He notices that is approaching eleven am and they have not heard from or seen Castle

"Hey, Beckett, where's your writer? Isn't he usually here long before now?"

Kate glances at her father's watch on her arm and then up to the wall clock "I don't know, Kevin. I guess he must have had somewhere else to be this morning"

"Doesn't he usually call you and tell you when he is going to be late? I mean he always brings your coffee. I don't think he would let you go caffeine deprived for too long. You know how cranky you get" Esposito comments

"Funny, Espo. I just don't really know anything guys It's not like he is obligated to report in with me" With that answer, Kate starts to wonder if possibly something did happen to him

Just after One PM Kate decides that she might just call him to be sure everything is ok. She takes out her cell phone and dials his number. She does get a brief look of shock on her face, and then she hangs up the phone.

Ryan notices the questioning look on her face before he asks "Beckett? Is everything OK?"

"I just called Castle's cell phone and I got a recording that said that he is going to be unreachable for a while"

"That's odd" Esposito comments. "Did you try the home number?"

"I was just getting ready to do that" When she dials the home land line she gets a recording again. She has a lost look on her face

"What happened, Kate?" Ryan asks

"The recording said that I was calling from a number that was blocked"

"Castle blocked your number on his home phone and his cell says he is gone? Did something happen between you two?"

"No nothing happened. He went home after the terrorist case on Friday. That was the last time we talked"

Kate suddenly realizes that she had not heard from him over the weekend at all. She usually did at least speak to him sometime between Fridays and Mondays, but this time they did not. She spent all weekend with Josh because he had told her that he was leaving again on Monday to finish the trip to Haiti that he started but came back from just in time to save her and Castle from freezing. So really, she had no time to talk to Castle.

Kate picks up her desk phone and dials the house number and again gets a message that the number is being blocked. She looks at the phone with a frown on her face before hanging up.

Ryan asks what is happening and she says "Same message. Blocked"

"Guys I am going over to Castle's loft to make sure everything is ok."

"OK boss, let us know what you find out and if you need us to do anything for you" Esposito tells Kate as she is heading to the elevator

He then turns to his partner "Ryan, I wonder if Castle has finally given up?'

"Looks that way to me. After I saw the devastated look on his face Friday when Josh showed to take Kate out. I'm really surprised he has waited around this long"

"What do we do? I mean he is my friend too and I hate to see him hurting this way. I told Kate last year that whatever reason Castle had for staying around, I was pretty sure it did not include watching her be with another guy."

Ryan responds "So I guess this means that she is not interested in him like we were hoping she was"

"I guess not" Esposito states

As Kate Beckett pulls her cruiser into the garage under Castle's building, she notices that the parking space normally reserved for the Ferrari is empty. By the fact the car is not in its designated parking space, she can only assume that Castle is probably not home.

She exits the elevator on Castle's floor and walks to his front door. She listens for a moment for any sound inside that would indicate someone's presence but she is greeted by total silence. She knocks firmly on the door and waits and listens. Still no sound. She knocks a second time and again the only sound she hears is the whoosh of the A/C system blowing air through the hallway.

Being the good cop, she tries the door to find it is in fact locked. Her only option is to go downstairs and ask questions of the door man

In the lobby, she is greeted by the building's security and door greeter "good afternoon Detective Beckett. What can I do for you today?" Jessee the receptionist asks

"Hello Jessee, I was looking for Mr. Castle. Have you seen him today or do you know when he will be back?"

"No Detective, I have not seen him since Saturday morning, very early. He said he was leaving town for a while and was not sure when he would be returning."

"Leaving town? Did he say where he was going?"

"No ma'am. He did not indicate a destination but he did say it would be an extended period of time and not to expect to see him for quite a while."

"Did he indicate why he was leaving?"

"He did say he had some things he had to sort out in his mind because of someone here in town that he needed to put distance between them. If that makes any sense"

"No. Not really" Kate responds "So he didn't leave a forwarding message or a contact address in case of emergency?"

"He only left the number of his agent, Paula Haas as a contact."

"OK Jessee. Thank you" Beckett turns and walks out of the building and onto the street where she suddenly feels like her insides have been torn out. Her chest feels empty like all of her organs have been removed and she is in a void.

Why is he leaving? She questions in her own mind? Did something happen to someone in his life?

Beckett's phone rings and she takes it out of her jacket. There is a message from Ryan

"Body Drop Lex at 14th, in the alley"

Beckett walks down the ramp and into the basement where she gets into her cruiser and drives to the location.

Kate uses her time in her cruiser to think about what has happened to her and her partner. He was there Friday. Together the two of them saved the city. They were happy, filled with joy as the embraced.

He did want to say something to her before he left on Friday. Maybe he wanted to discuss the case. Maybe he was going to tell her of his plans. She wonders now, if they had spoken over the weekend if he would have told her about whatever is happening with him

By the time Beckett arrives at the crime scene it is almost four o'clock. After passing by the crime tape, signing in to the log, she finally comes upon the rest of the team. Ryan and Esposito are talking to the uniforms that were first on scene and getting the information from witness statements.

Dr. Lanie Parish is knelled down beside the victim with her note book in hand. When Kate steps up to the ME and without even looking up the first words out of Dr. Parish's mouth are:

"Where's Castle?"

"How would I know?"

"How do you not know? You two are partners. Or were partners"

"Partners yes but I'm not his keeper"

"Or his girlfriend either!" Lanie responds with a smirk in her voice

"Lanie! What was that comment for?"

"Girlfriend! You know exactly what it was for. That man has been following you for years and waiting around for you to make a decision and from what I hear you made it last Friday. And Rick was not the pick of the day. Since you decided that Castle is not who you want. So to save face, he has pulled away"

After a moment for Kate to savor the comment, Lanie finishes "I imagine he is gone for good"


	3. Departure

**Thanks for all the reviews. I am not sure how long this story will run especially because I do not like angst**

* * *

Richard Castle went home on Friday night after his encounter with the dirty bomb and how he and Beckett saved the city.

He tried, once again, to say something to Kate to tell her he wanted a relationship with her, but the ever present Dr. Davidson showed up and ended the conversation before it even had a chance to start.

Rick truly feels like it is best if he just licks his wounds and move on from this. He has devoted more time to Kate Beckett than he put into both of his marriages and his one other serious relationship. And based upon Beckett's comment that the doctor's return from Haiti meant that Kate and Josh had a chance just proved how far away Castle really was from having a chance with her. She seems very committed to wanting the relationship with the motorcycle doctor work.

After he arrives home he takes out his cell phone and records a message that he would be out of touch and then turned the unit off. He went into his office and removed a burner phone from his desk that he bought years before. This was used for special conversations and only used it when he needed total security. After getting everything ready for an exit from this life, he went to bed.

Castle lays in his bed staring up at the ceiling but having no luck whatsoever in going to sleep. The thoughts in his mind are keeping him awake. He knows he must somehow remove there things from his head. He also knows that it is high time he removed Kate Beckett not just from his head but from his heart as well

Martha was off doing summer stock somewhere and Alexis is in California with her mother for a month. So he can leave New York and not be concerned about what happens here for at least the next thirty days. He figures that by then any questions on the part of his friends at the 12th should old news and they will have forgotten about him.

Tomorrow morning he will begin a new chapter in his life. A chapter void of one extraordinary KB.

If he could have just been smart enough to read the signs he would not be feeling this way. She posted road blocks all along his path. A path that he had been blindly following for the last three years hoping to see a crossroad where she would grant him acceptance. Acceptance from the woman he could honestly say he fell in love with a very long time ago.

But he couldn't read the signs so he could make his detour long before now. He realizes now that he waited way past the expiration date on this relationship before moving on. Why did he wait so long to see the end was here?

So now he will finally move on.

Saturday morning he rises and he prepares to load the Ferrari to head out.

Even though he does not think she will be trying to call him he goes to his home telephone and enters a few codes to block certain telephone numbers. Those numbers include Beckett's Cell, her home phone and the number on her desk at the station. This way after they return, Martha and Alexis will not be bothered by calls from her ever again.

Rick also sits down with his laptop and composes a letter. After reviewing it several times, he prints it out. He places it into an envelope and seals the flap, writes a name on the front and places it into his desk drawer.

He then composes another document and sends it as an attachment to in e-mail to his agent, Paula. Castle closes his lap top, places it into the lap top case and heads to the lobby where he says goodbye to the man guarding the front doors.

Passing down to the basement garage, he climbs into his red sports car and within minutes he moves out into Saturday morning traffic. He quickly finds himself on the open road traveling towards his home in the Hamptons.

It takes only an hour to reach his estate. His remote get away. That place he finds solace from the hustle and bustle of New York. Once he arrives, he parks the expensive sports car in the garage and trades it for his more conservative and much less noticeable compact hybrid.

He goes into his closet and packs clothes for a two week journey. His actual plan is to be gone for at least a month. He feels that after that amount of time he can return to New York and any fallout from his leaving should be settled. But since he is not important to her, it is not expecting for anything to actually happen. In fact he truly feels she will be relieved that he has finally stopped shadowing her

Before he leaves again to the open road, he connects his laptop to check for messages. He does have three e-mails from Paula. The first two are confirming that he will be at the first of a series of book signings. The first in Boston on Sunday afternoon and the second in Cambridge on Monday. He replies to the message that he will be where he needs to be and on time.

The second message tells him that she has a signing set up for the next Saturday in Miami and she needs to book his airline tickets.

He responds to this message that he is taking a road trip and will drive down there. He just needs for her to reserve his room and he will be there on time. He asks her if she can go ahead and set up more signings after the Miami stop and he will just travel from city to city.

His plan is working better than he thought. Paula is getting him away from the city again and he will use the drive time to think about the character progression

Paula's next message is lengthy. She is questioning Castle's directive concerning the Nikki Heat series of books. Paula wants to know why Castle has requested changes to the future book contracts

He replies that the changes he is asking for do not change the terms of the book deals only distributions of royalty payments and would she just please take care of his directive

Moments later he receives a reply agreeing to the requested changes

Castle responds that he will see her on Sunday afternoon in Boston and that he is only available on his covert telephone for the present time.

Paula quickly answers "Are you going undercover again for a book?"

Castle thinks to himself for a moment then answers "Yes, I am going dark for at least a month. My special phone is to only be used for life and death emergencies. I will keep in touch with you via e-mail"

Paula has seen Rick do this when he was working on Derrick Storm and the CIA. He like to really get into his players and act the part himself. He had to pretend that he was unreachable. So she knew to help him in whatever he was planning for the next book she would not let anyone know how to reach him

Paula responds "Life and death only. Got it"

Castle turns off his laptop, finished putting all of his bags into the car and heads out on the road toward Boston. He plans to spend the night in a hotel there then be at the signing at noon finish in time to grab dinner and go back to the hotel.

The New England countryside is beautiful and the drive is actually a joy for Rick. He has not done this in years. Just get in his car and drive. His most recent times in a car were in the passenger side of a New York police cruiser building theory with one remarkable detective.

He is truly hoping he has enough research to continue the series of books on Nikki heat for many years to come. He is using this time alone to think. But he has found he cannot think without seeing her face in front of him. So he shifts gears in his mind. Instead of thinking about Kate…uh…Nikki he decides that he will be making a change in another character in the book.

He will kill off Jamison Rook. That is perfect. He will have Rook get killed by the suspect while they are apprehending him. That way he removes himself from the story line and can continue the story of Nikki but with a new love interest. He will make the new love interest a doctor that she meets who tries to save rook. The doctor takes a liking to her and feels sorry for her and her pain They become close and… It all fits

So now the new story line for The Nikki Heat books is ready and

Dr Motorcycle boy will be happy when he reads it because Rook is gone he will know it's all about him

Beckett will be happy because Castle is no longer shadowing her and he has her together with the man she said she wanted to have a chance with in the first place

Ryan and Esposito will be happy because they are still being written into the books

Castle thinks "I will be happy because…"

"Because…"

"Because…"

"I'm sure if I think about it for a while I can come up with some reason to be happy"

I don't know if I can find a reason to ever be happy again


	4. A new woman?

**This is crazy. I have never had the number of views of my profile or the number of readers of this story **  
**I am getting torn between those who want them to break up and those who want Casket.**  
**I will tell you that this story will go a little darker. **

**Always refer to my profile of what I prefer**

* * *

Thursday morning at the 12th begins with two murders logged in by overnight. Beckett takes the reports and hands one over to Evelyn Karpowski to take lead and she takes the other for her team

By the time Kate sees Ryan and Esposito walk around the corner, she is already up and headed their way to send them all beck down to the street

Once on the elevator she gives the two men the information on the murder that they are heading for. A woman's body found leaning up against a building in a fashionable section of SOHO. It appears she was strangled and left there just off the sidewalk. The trio head out to the crime scene in their respective cruisers.

During the drive to the crime scene, Beckett is alone. This time her ever present shadow and partner is not there with her in the passenger seat. For the first time in three years, he is not beside her chatting away. Not with her being his usual irritating self or some times he would be serious like when he would talk to Kate about things important like Alexis. He would ask Beckett some question to help him understand a teenage daughter and she felt like she was helping him in his pursuit in being a good father

Sometimes he would bring just up some crazy theory about the murder before they had even arrived at the body drop. Or worse, in the beginning he would openly discuss his female companions as if Kate were not even present. But lately he had stopped doing that

Now, listening to the total silence in the car, Kate realized that he had stopped discussing "OTHER" women around her. He only discussed work, Alexis but he also discussed things important to Kate.

But now there is no conversation. Only silence. And it is very loud silence

Once Beckett and the guys arrive on the scene, they find Lanie is already hard at work. She has photographed the body, taken samples of blood found beside the body and cataloged the woman's purse and any other possessions found nearby. Her purse has been tossed. Cash and credit cards were gone but there were some photographs and her ID were scattered on the pavement nearby

"Hey Lanie" Beckett speaks up before actually arriving beside the ME

"Hey yourself" Dr. Parish responds. Then she looks around and behind Beckett. Obviously looking to see if Kate was alone or if her shadow was with her But Lanie sees no Castle anywhere around Beckett or the boys

"So what do you have for me?"

"White Female. According to her driver's license her name is Polly Newsome. She lived on 16th. Looks like manual strangulation, but I will give you a better answer after I get her to the lab"

"Thanks Lanie" Beckett responds then she begins walking around while looking at the ground. Lanie is not surprised by Beckett's actions except there does seem to have a lost look about her. The same lost look Kate had before Castle came along.

Lanie finishes her report and then steps up beside Beckett who is now just standing against the wall staring out to the street

"Girlfriend, what is going on? You look lost?"

Beckett quickly recovers "Nothing, just thinking about the vic. Trying to figure out what might have happened here" as she points her finger toward the body

"Kate. There is more going on here than the case"

"Lanie, just drop it"

"No! I'm going to ask anyway. Where's Josh?"

Beckett is taken back by Lanie's question. Kate assumed that the next question would be about Castle, because Castle was in fact the only thing on her mind. Wondering where he is

"Lanie" Beckett's voice sounding more like a whine than a comment "Castle…I mean…he…Josh is still in Haiti on his medical trip" She pauses a minute "He is due back on Saturday"

"So by the day after tomorrow, Kate Beckett should be all healed and ready to face the world again with her guy by her side?"

"UH…Yeah…I think so" Kate responds with a voice not completely convincing to anyone

"All right then, let me get the body to the morgue and I will try to get some evidence for you" Lanie turns and walks back in the direction of her driver who has already begun loading the van.

The truth be known Kate Beckett had not even thought about Josh until Dr. Parish brought him up. Kate begins to think about herself. "How bad am I?"

Once back in the station, Beckett is filling out initial reports on the case, cataloging the photos. She stops and looks at her phone and decides she will try one more time to make a call. She dials the cell number and again gets the message that he will be out of pocket. She then dials the home number and the "blocked number" message is her reply.

She looks thru her contact list to find Alexis' number. She pauses her finger over the button before pressing send. Kate is not sure if he has left because of something she did or maybe there is something else going on in his life. After several seconds of hesitation, she decides it is best if she not call his daughter right now.

Rick has been her partner for three years and since she has not heard from him, she should be worried. Not thinking that his agent would find it weird that she is trying to locate Rick and discover what is going on, she scrolls down the contacts and locates Paula Haas and dials. After the third ring she hears "This is Paula leave a message"

"Paula, Kate Beckett. Can you call me back? I was just worried about Castle. I haven't heard from him in a week. So please call me when you get this message" and Kate presses the end button

She lays the phone back on her desk and just looks at it like she is waiting for him to call her back any minute.

Beckett's desk phone rings "Beckett" Kate is honestly hoping it is Rick, but instead she hears the voice of the medical examiner "Hi Lanie"

"Got your preliminary on the victim. Do you want it on the phone or you coming down here?"

Thinking that she is waiting on a call from Paula "Go ahead and read it to me" Beckett responds

"The victim was killed some time between ten PM and midnight last night. The cause of death was manual strangulation. She did have some jewelry on her left hand, probably a ring that was taken off post mortem."

"A wedding ring maybe?"

"Possibly. There is no way to be sure, but since it was on her ring finger, my guess is wedding or engagement"

"What else?"

"That covers it"

"OK Good"

"So Kate, Girls night out this weekend?" Lanie asks

Kate thinks for a second then responds "No Lanie, Josh is due in late Friday so Saturday I'll be busy. We will have to do it another time"

"OK girlfriend. Talk to you later" and Lanie hangs up

Beckett places the handset back on the cradle but does not let it go. She is getting feelings inside that she cannot control. She wants Josh to come back from Haiti, but at the same time her thoughts are more focused on Castle and what is going on there

After just staring at the phone for several minutes she decides to try a different approach. She opens a web browser and goes to the Richard Castle web site. That web site that she has a lifetime membership but she would never tell him or anyone else about that. She has followed him there ever since he opened a home page for himself and his books. After logging in she looks around for news and notes. She figures that if something is happening with him, it will appear there.

The first thing she does is to look over the home page. She sees nothing unusual on this first screen.

Her next stop is the 'Current Events' page. This page usually contains news stories and book signings. When it opens there is a picture of Castle smiling at a pretty lady standing beside the table where he has a book in his hand that he is signing. The caption reads "Rick greeting his fans and signing autographs at the Borders Books in downtown Boston on Sunday the 14th"

Beckett looks at the calendar and realizes that this was last Sunday. So he was not even in town over the last weekend

Then she looks at the next photograph and, again shows him signing a book with the caption "Rick at the university book store in Cambridge on Monday greeting some more of his fans"

At least Beckett now knows that Rick is OK or at least he was ok last Monday.

Reading down the page Kate sees that he is scheduled to be in Miami next Saturday. She realizes that is the day after tomorrow. He is probably already on his way there. She just doesn't understand why he has pulled away. She wants to know where he is now and why can't I get a hold of him and why hasn't he called?

She goes back to the home page and moves over to the biography page

The next picture causes her heart to leap up into her throat. When she opens the biography page there is a picture of Castle with a woman. They are both smiling and they have their arms wrapped around each other. But the caption hurts most of all "Way to go Rick!"

Kate feels something she thought was not even possible to happen to her when it came to Castle

"JEALOUSY"


	5. Glad to meet you

Richard Castle rises in the early morning after his book signing. He begins packing for his drive down to Miami for the next stop on his book signing tour next Saturday. He checks his stock of clothing he brought to determine when he will need to stop at a laundry to wash his clothes. He has only been gone from The City for four days so he will wait until Miami to do the cleaning.

After packing he goes down to the lobby area where the breakfast buffet is set up. He picks from a large selection of breakfast items .He decides on a waffle and a few strips of bacon. Then after pouring the mandatory morning coffee he finds a table to set himself down. He locates a copy of the USA Today and glances through the headlines.

Just as he is finishing his second cup of coffee a woman appears beside his table

"Are you Richard Castle, the author?" The lady asks in the most delightful southern accent

Castle looks up from his now empty cup to see a striking dark haired woman looking down to him. She appears to be in her late thirties, very slim with clear complexion yet sporting a nice tan. She is wearing a light dress with a floral design. Actually very modest for such an attractive woman

Castle, being the gentleman, quickly stands in her presence. "Yes, the one and only"

The woman puts out her hand "I'm Janice Livingston and my oldest son goes to school here. I just came up for the weekend and I saw you at the bookstore yesterday but I didn't get a chance to get an autograph"

"Are you a fan of my books?"

"OH most definitely! I started reading your books about fifteen years ago, just after my husband died. Your books actually helped me get past my loss"

Richard Castle draws in a long breath and he feels tightness in his stomach. This very attractive woman now standing beside his table is telling a similar story to one that he had heard before. However, she does not seem to be as devastated about her husband's death as Beckett was about her mother

"I am so sorry for your loss." He is afraid to ask about the details of the event in case the memories of the death are still open wounds

"Thank you Mr. Castle. It was a long time ago and I have moved past the accident but your sentiment is appreciated"

Oh good accident. Not a murder like Beckett's situation Rick is thinking

"Please call me Rick or just Castle" He points to the chair at his table "please join me?"

"I would love to Rick. Thanks"

This woman's presence has brought Castle a little out of his funk. He is not sure if it is her appearance, that he can honestly call striking, or her demeanor or probably, her southern accent. He finds her speech addictive

"So your husband died in an accident?"

"Yes we own a furniture manufacturing business in South Carolina. He was moving a very large pallet of wood from the outside drying area to the mill when a strap broke around the lumber and he was crushed"

"Well, again I am so very sorry for your loss. Please excuse my manors, have you eaten?"

"No, I just came down to have breakfast and noticed you sitting here and just had to ask if you were the writer"

"Let me get you something. What do you want?"

She looks over to the selections. She asks for just a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice. Castle jumps up and gets the items Janice requested. He re fills his coffee and return to the table

While she prepares her meal, Castle decides to ask a few more questions

"Do you still have the furniture business?"

"Oh, yes. I own it along with my two sons. One is back home in high school and the other is going to school here"

"So do you come up the New York, Boston area much?" Rick asks

"About four times a year. I go to the dealer show every spring in New York City and then I travel to see a few Broadway shows. I really love visiting the city. And it gives me a chance to see my son. But he graduates this year and will be returning home to Carolina to help run the business"

Richard Castle is taken back by this woman who is not only quite lovely, but an intelligent business woman, mother and also well traveled.

"My mother performs on Broadway on occasion. Her name is Martha Rogers"

"Oh Yes, I have seen her in several shows. That is your mother?"

"Yes she is" is his reply

"Is she in anything right now?"

"No, doing a little summer stock. In fact I am not totally sure where she is at this very moment"

"I will watch for her the next time I am in New York. But Rick, I must go and head home. Would you mind if I got a picture of you? The women I play bridge with back home will not believe I got to meet you"

"Of course and I will take a picture for myself as well"

Castle looks around and finds a man who looks willing to take the pictures. The two of them stand in front of the curtained window. The woman asks Rick if he minds if she puts her arms around him for the photo. He responds "No that will be fine"

She turns her torso into Rick's chest and places her arms completely around Castle's waist. He is a little uncomfortable, but he places his arms around the woman's shoulders. The man takes pictures with both phone cameras and then returns the devices to the rightful owners.

Castle thanks the man then returns to his table. Janice follows then comments "If you are ever in South Carolina, please look me up" and she hands Castle a business card for the furniture company. On the back, she has written her home address and phone number along with her cell

"I have a plane to catch, so Rick, it was great to finally meet the man behind the books and I hope to see you again very soon"

"You can count on it" Castle responds as he watches her walk away

Sitting at the table alone he thinks. Maybe I need to get away from police, mystery stories and change to romance. That should get my mind off one particular cop

Rick places the card into his pocket before finishing his coffee. After this he returns to his room. Once there he turns on the computer to check for any messages. There is another new message from Paula

"Black Pawn said that the check will be cut Wednesday and I will deliver it then. Also I have you scheduled for Houston Texas the Saturday afternoon following Miami"

He answers her message with an "OK"

After Paula's e-mails he sees several sent to him from Kate. He does not even bother to open them. He hits the delete key until they are all gone from his screen.

He then takes his cell phone and connects it to the laptop. He downloads the picture of Janice and himself that was just taken. He then uploads it to his web page and writes "Way to Go Rick" as the caption for the image. He then posts it to his site.

He closes his laptop loads his bags and goes down to the lobby and checks out.

Back on the road again he has actually found it has become a drug for Castle. He is traveling down the east coast of the United States. Every few miles he gets near the ocean and then back inland. After traveling for almost a day, Castle decides to stop in North Carolina for the evening. He checks into a hotel and goes to his room. He picked a nice, small family owned place with a view of the ocean. This made him feel like he did when he was at his place in the Hamptons. He could hear the sound of the ocean to help him sleep.

After settling into his room, he takes out the laptop and decides he will make some notes about a possible new book. This time he will stay away from murder mystery. This will be the story of an attractive widow who is left running the family business after the untimely death of her husband. He will tell her struggles in saving the business from the town's banker who wants to take it all away from her.

He decides he will need more information from the woman he is basing this on. Reaching into his pocket, he takes out her business card. He takes his cell phone and makes the call.

When she answers the phone Janice is obviously pleased that Castle has called. He tells her that he is in North Carolina and he would love to come down and see her and visit a day or two before traveling on to Florida for the next week end.

She says she is looking forward to his visit and is excited about showing him her business and let him see her town.

He gets directions to her place and tells her

"I will see you tomorrow"


	6. Kate's weekend

**To all my readers. REMEMBER A/U**  
**Not Canon**  
**And please everyone**  
**Have faith. You have no idea where I am going**

* * *

Friday morning Detective Beckett is working on the file for the Polly Newsome case. Some times the evidence leads the police away from the real deal. Sometimes it takes you directly the suspect.

This time the suspect is the most obvious. The fiancé. You can't just kill your girlfriend and get away with it. The two of them had been out to dinner that night when they had a knock down drag out in the restaurant. They left out in a huff and onto the street yelling at each other all the way. All the patrons told the same story. It appeared they were fighting over something to do with family and family events and who would go to whose house for the holidays. The witnesses said that from the words being used that they were breaking up and the engagement is over.

It is during investigations such as this that Kate is glad that she has never been in a relationship so deep that you fought over holidays and ended up killing the other person.

So Beckett finishes the file and places it into her out basket. She has nothing else on her desk at the moment so she opens a browser and again pulls up the Richard Castle web site. The coming events page now shows that he will be in Miami this weekend and now it additionally says he is going to be in Houston, Texas next Saturday.

Castle is traveling around the country and is not reachable to Beckett. She takes her phone out and again dials Paula's cell phone.

This time Paula answers "This is Paula"

"Paula, Kate Beckett"

"Oh hello detective, what can I do for you?"

"I have been trying to reach Castle, but his cell phone is turned off and I can't get through on his home number. Do you know how I can get a hold of him?"

"Well, detective, he has gone dark so to speak. He has disconnected himself from the world for a while"

"Do you know why? I mean he said nothing to any of us at the precinct and everyone got a little worried" Kate is not telling Paula that she personally is very worried. Not about Rick's safety but his relationship with the team. Most specifically Kate Beckett

"No Detective he just said he would be off the grid for a while"

"So you don't know how to reach him?"

"I do it by e-mail. I just have to wait until he e-mails me back"

"Paula, would you leave him a message that I tried to call?"

"Of course detective I will do that"

"Thank you"

"Wait Beckett, I need to come see you. Will you be available this evening?"

Kate thinks a minute "Sure. I am leaving work early today and I will off this weekend. Do you want to meet somewhere?"

"Yes my office in midtown. Do you know where it is?"

"Yes I took Rick there one day to pick something up"

"Say 4 o'clock then my office in midtown?"

"Sure Paula, can you tell me what this is about?"

"It will be best if I do it in person."

"See you later" Kate hangs up her phone and looks at the instrument again as if it will give her a message about why Paula wants to see her

Kate has no cases on the books so she goes to Captain Montgomery to ask for the afternoon off so she can go to Paula's office and then home get ready for Josh to come back.

Roy looks at the schedule board. "Kate you have a couple of weeks coming to you. Why don't you just take them if your boyfriend is in town then you could spend all of it with him"

"That's OK sir, I just need this afternoon off"

"See you Monday then detective

Beckett goes down to the garage and gets her cruiser and heads to midtown and her meeting with Paula

* * *

Kate parks her cruiser on the street in front of the building. Having the advantage of driving a police car, she can park anywhere she finds an empty spot of concrete. Once inside the building she travels to the floor where the offices of 'Paula Haas Professional Representation'

Inside she is greeted by the receptionist. Beckett identifies herself and tells the lady she has an appointment with Paula at four. The woman checks the schedule and tells Kate to have a seat and Paula will be with her momentarily

Kate chooses to stand and pace. She is not in any mood to sit and wait. She wants Paula to tell her what is happening and where is Castle

In just a very few minutes the inner door opens and Paula steps into the lobby

"Kate good to see you again" Beckett is taken back by this woman. She is attractive yet somehow intimidating in her presence. She can see why Castle hired her to represent him. She has the look of "I will get for my client anything he wants and you better not get in the way"

"Kate please come into the conference room" as she directs Beckett to the glassed in room just beside the lobby

"Can I get you anything? Water, soft drink Coffee?"

Kate sees that there was a different tone in the question when Paula said 'Coffee' as if she knew there was a special meaning to that

"No thank you" Beckett sits down at one of the extremely expensive chairs.

Paula sits down across from Kate and places a folder down on the table

"Paula. Can you tell me what happened to Rick?"

"First things first Kate. I have been directed to make some changes in the representation agreement I have with Rick and the publishing deal with Black Pawn and it involves you"

"Me? What would he change that involves me?"

"Rick felt from the beginning of the Nikki Heat series that he owed its success to the woman whom he wrote about. Namely you. Before he left town on this signing tour he asked for the future books to include a statement that they were written by Richard Castle in collaboration with Kate Beckett"

Beckett is stunned. She knows for an author to ever indicate that his works were not written by him alone is a big deal

"I don't understand, Paula. Rick wrote those books without my input. In fact I never saw any part of the manuscript, or notes or outlines before he showed me an advanced copy that he allowed me to read"

"I know Kate, but he was insistent about this. So what I have here is an author's contract for you to sign. This simply states that everyone knows that you are getting writer's credit on the Nikki Heat books beginning with the first book and will continue throughout the series for as long as Nikki Heat is published"

Kate is sitting at the table staring at the contract. Growing up as the child of two attorneys she knows you have to read every line before singing. So she begins reading the document.

A lot of the terms are confusing, but since she spends all day everyday reading autopsy reports and legal documents from the district attorney's office she can decipher what if happening here.

Beckett reaches the paragraph titled 'Compensation' and he pauses and draws in a breath

"As compensation for services rendered as co-writer, Katherine Beckett will be paid 25% of the total royalties due for each book sold. This compensation will apply wither the book is sold in published format or electronic format. Additionally should any future

Royalties occur due to endorsements, or other products sold based upon the character of Nikki Heat, the same percentage will be paid."

Beckett is aware that a writer makes very good money in royalties on their books, but she is assuming that in this case the numbers will not be great and will only occur beginning now.

"Paula, why did Rick do this?"

"Kate…" Paula pauses wanting to make sure her words do not cross any line that is not her right to cross. Paula knows that Rick is in love with Kate. She also knows that Kate has not shown any indication that the feelings are mutual. "Rick cares about you, Kate. He has cared deeply about you ever since he met you"

Paula takes another deep breath before continuing "He has felt for a long time that without you and your talent, your tenacity, your desire for justice that he would have ever written another book let alone the Nikki Heat series. He truly believes that meeting you saved him from a deep dark pit that he was falling into after Derrick Storm"

"Paula I…I don't know how to respond to that"

"Kate there is no need to say anything. He told me that he wanted you compensated because you gave Nikki Heat to him. Now since the first book, he has had Black Pawn hold one half of the royalties in escrow. Then just before he left on this signing trip he directed us to do what I am doing right now. So please sign the contract and this is for you as your first royalty payment"

Paula reaches into the folder and passes a check, face down, over to Beckett. Kate stares at the back of the check for several seconds before turning it over.

She sits at the table unable to move. Her hands start shaking and tears fill her eyes. Then she turns the check over and is unable to move

* * *

She arrives to her home not really sure what she is going to do now. In a short period of time her entire world has been turned on its ear. She has gone from being a well compensated New York cop to a wealthy published writer. Now she has to get ready for the return of her boyfriend. Boyfriend? Is he really her boyfriend or has she had a different boyfriend for three years that she has been ignoring this entire time

She drops her bag and coat on the table along with an envelope. An envelope containing a very large check. A larger check than she has ever seen. And this check is made out to her and she is being told there will be more in the future

As she puts the items down the telephone starts ringing. Caller ID says 'Out of Area'.

Beckett answers "Hello"

"Kate, It's me" She hears the voice of Dr. Davidson

"Josh? Where are you?" Kate speaks with less than enthusiasm in her voice

"Kate I am still in Haiti at the airport. We just got a call asking for us to go to the Amazon to render assistance. There has been a major flood down there and they need our help so we are boarding the plane right now. I knew you would understand"

Beckett feels her face turn red. But she suddenly realizes that she just doesn't care anymore

"Sure Josh. Call me when you can"

"Kate I love you. Bye"

Kate does not even bother to say anything and hangs up.

She looks back to the phone and dials her best friend. After a couple of rings

"Hey Kate! You and motorcycle boy taking a break already?"

"Lanie can you come over? I need to talk to somebody"


	7. Southern hospitality

Castle had never driven thru the south before. This is a completely new experience for him. So far he is basking in the sheer beauty of South Carolina. He is following the GPS instructions for the address he was given by his hostess. When he first told her that he would like to come down there, she began to give him detailed directions to her home but he stopped her and said if he had the address that the car will make sure he arrives to the correct location

After leaving the interstate he transferred to a main artery but still a highway. Then he finds himself turning onto a lesser road, a smaller road.

Castle suddenly realizes the roads he is traveling on are taking him into open territory that he is not accustomed to seeing living in New York. He is used to seeing cramped streets lines on both side with parked cars and garbage. Here he is being treated to fresh air, shade created by the canopy of trees and the smell of pine.

Instead of paying attention to the drive itself, the views from his windows becomes his first consideration. After a few more twists and turns off the highway he is told that he has reached his destination. Looking in the direction the electronic voice gives him he is treated with a stone entry way with a marble plaque labeled "Livingston"

Turning his car thru the arch he begins a trip into the past. Passing between tall sugar pine trees and manicured shrubs adjacent to trimmed green lawns. Gardens of climbing roses were blooming along the pathway toward the main house.

The final turn of his car off the main road puts him onto an asphalt paved road approaching the main house and some main house this was. It looked like something from a civil war movie. Something he had only seen in the movies and read about in books.

The house was directly out of the Margaret Mitchell novel. White clapboard with a large open porch held up by gothic columns. Large dual entry door facing the steps inviting visitors to come in.

Castle stops his car and opens the door to step out when he sees a man exiting the front door of the house toward him. "You must be Mr. Castle. We have been expecting you."

"Yes, very glad to meet you. I'm Richard Castle"

The man presents his hand "I am James Young. I'm the house manager. Please let me take your bags and show you to the guest quarters"

Castle opens the trunk and retrieves his bags and sets them on the ground. James takes one of the bags and Castle takes the other. The two men enter the front and Castle is led toward the rear of the home. Then entry way of the house is impressive all by itself. The old south feel is in every detail of this home. They exit the rear door and immediately are on a covered patio leading directly to a large pool and veranda. They turn to the left and enter a separate building.

This guest house is almost as large as Castle's loft back in New York. Mr. Young takes the bag through another door to a large well adorned bedroom. He places the bag down at the foot of the bed

"Mr. Castle this is the master bedroom, there is another bedroom on the opposite side. The bath room is thru that door" pointing toward the tub and shower that are visible past the door

"The kitchen is well stocked if you find yourself wanting a snack later. You have a fully stocked bar" again pointing to the counter surrounded by bottles of the finest spirits available

Dinner will be served promptly at seven. If you are in need of anything, please call the staff on the house phone "pointing to a telephone instrument on the bedside table "the numbers are on the face of the phone. We also have wireless access. The password is FURNITURE. All caps"

Richard Castle feels like he just checked into a five star hotel in Manhattan and he needs to pull out a fifty to tip the bellman

"Mr. Castle my number is also on the phone, so please feel free to call me if you have any needs"

"Thank you Mr. Young. I think I am good for the moment."

James Young steps out the door after dropping a room key on the table for Castle to use. Rick looks around for a brief moment then sits down on the bed.

Initially he was not sure what to expect from the invitation from Janice, but no thought in his mind came close to what he is in the middle of at this moment. This woman is wealthy. Very wealthy. He had no idea about this when he met her up in _Massachusetts__._ She mentioned her and her late husband owned a furniture business but she did not indicate that her life was anything like this.

He finally moves to check out the apartment. The first thing he does is to go to the kitchen. He opens the refrigerator and sees that it is in fact fully stocked with bottle water, soft drinks both diet and regular and several brands of beer. The freezer contains ice cream in several flavors

He opens the cabinet and discovers some salty snacks in the form of potato chips and corn chips and a few canned goods

He opens a door beside the counter to discover a clothes washer and dryer. He has found a place to do the laundry he has been dragging along with him for several days.

Returning to the bedroom, he decides to take a short nap before cleaning up for dinner later. He unpacks his suitcases placing the items to be cleaned in the laundry room and the rest in the closet and dresser. After finishing the unpacking, he pulls back the covers and climbs into the bed for a brief nap.

Not realizing how tired he was from the drive, he slept until almost six o'clock. When he noticed the time, he jumps up and runs into the shower. Stepping into the stream of water made him realize he would really like to just stay there since it felt so very good but he know that a guest should not be late. He quickly dried himself, shaved and got dressed.

Not being completely sure how formal or not the meal would be he chooses a pair of khaki slacks and a light button down shirt. He is looking forward to seeing his hostess once again

But he mistakenly assumed he was the only guest for the evening. When he stepped out the door of the guest suite he comes face to face with about a dozen people standing or sitting around the patio visiting with one another. Rick was not aware that this was a dinner party.

He immediately hears the voice of his hostess "There you are Rick" Janice Livingston walks out of the crowd and toward Rick. She is wearing a light cotton summer dress that is draped delicately on her every curve and showing that she is a stunning southern beauty

"Rick I want you to meet everyone" Janice turns to the group "Everyone, this is the author Richard Castle. He is the one who wrote the Derrick Storm book and most recently the Nikki Heat books. He will be staying here for a couple of days before he goes on down to Miami. Now everyone be nice to your guest"

She then takes Rick by the hand and leads him around the group where he gets to meet all of her the friends who are here tonight

After about twenty minutes of hand shaking and gracious hellos and comments about loving his books the house manager steps out to the patio "Dinner is served"

At this announcement everyone begins to walk into the dining room. Castle is directed to the end of the table where a name plate is located and he is placed across from Janice. Each guest is seated based on name tags located in front of each plate. After everyone is in place they wait until Janice indicates for them to be seated. Castle is wondering since the head chair is vacant. He thinks it might be left empty in honor of Janice's late husband. Something similar to his poker buddies leaving a chair open for Stephen Cannell after he died.

The waiters begin by delivering the appetizer starting with Rick and Janice then moving down the very large table.

Just as the servers complete their placement of the shrimp cocktails, there is a little commotion and laughing coming from the entrance to the dining room.

Castle looks up and sees a tall ruggedly handsome man entering the room. He is greeting everyone as he walk down the table toward Castle. When he comes to the end of the table he reaches out his hand toward Rick.

"Hello, you must be Richard Castle. I am so sorry I am late, but we had a little problem at the mill. Janice has told me all about you. I'm Hank. I'm Janice's husband"

* * *

**Think about what is the importance of these two people in my story?**


	8. The truth hurts Kate

"You ready for me to take the body? Or do you need to do anything else?" Lanie asks Detective Karpowski

"Yeah. I think we have all the photos we need to take. Are you heading to the lab?"

"No I have to meet Beckett right now. She called all upset over something and asked me to come over to her place. I'll get started on this first thing in the morning if that is all right with you"

Karpowski responds "Yeah. If you are going over to help Kate with something I am good for that. Something is wrong with her right now and someone needs to go fix it"

"Thanks Karpowski, I will call you in the morning and give you know prelims as soon as I can"

"Great Lanie! And let me know if I can do anything for Kate"

Dr. Parish finishes her report and climbs into her car for the drive over to Beckett's apartment.

She arrives at Kate's place and knocks but there is only silence from inside. Lanie knocks again and from inside she hears a weak "Come in Lanie"

Lanie Parish turns the knob and enters the totally dark apartment. There is no lights on inside the apartment, only the dim light from outside the windows barely illuminating the room.

"Kate? Where are you?"

A voice from the couch answers "I'm here. Don't turn on the light, please"

"Lanie removes her hand from the switch. There is just enough light for her to maneuver over to the couch without falling over anything.

She finds a tiny space on the end of the couch opposite Kate to sit down.

"All right girlfriend! What is going on with you?" Lanie can tell that even in the dark that Kate has been crying. Probably non stop

"Lanie I think I have ruined everything. I mean everything that is really important"

"OK? What is everything? Where do you want to start?"

Beckett does not respond. Almost like she didn't hear Dr. Parish

"Sweetie!" Lanie speaks a little louder

This causes Kate to jump. She turns toward her best friend "Oh? What? No go ahead, Lanie"

"Kate. What is going on here?"

"Josh called. He is on his way to the Amazon to help a hospital and I have lost Castle."

"Josh has stood you up again! He is not here again! Like he always does to you. And this time Castle is not here to be the temporary fill in?"

"No"

"Yeah we all figured that this was happening. Rick seems to have left town too"

"Lanie, he has a new girlfriend already. He is back to his old ways"

"Castle? Kate what makes you say that?"

Kate flips open her laptop and shows Lanie the picture posted on his web site. "There's the new girlfriend. He posted her last Monday and then he had Paula give me a pity payment"

Lanie is looking at the picture very closely

"Kate, look at the picture. It's posed. That woman is probably just a fan who he got her picture"

Then Lanie looks closer

"Kate, that woman is wearing a wedding ring. I am sure this is just a fan photo. He probably posted it in fun"

Kate looks at the picture again "Maybe he got married to her and this is a wedding picture. That would explain the ring too"

"I don't think so Kate. Now tell me about this pity payment"

Beckett reaches down to the table and hands the check to Lanie who turns on the table lamp behind her so he can see the check

"WHAT IS THIS?" Lanie Parish can scream like a 10 year old who just spotted a spider.

"The pity payment. Rick had this sent to me because he pities me" Beckett responds

"It is not a pity payment. My gosh! I have never seen so many zeros on a check before. What is this really for?"

"Paula said I have been listed as co author of the Nikki Heat series now and this is my first royalty payment"

"Your FIRST payment? You mean there are more"

"Paula said I would receive a check every month from now on based on sales"

"Then what everyone is saying is true?" Lanie comments almost under her breath

"What are they saying?" Kate questions

Lanie pauses a moment before answering "Everyone in the precinct knew how Castle felt about you. That is everyone except you. This just proves it"

"What do you mean everyone? What do they know?"

"Kate that man is in love with you and how you have responded to him is beyond my comprehension"

"What did I do?"

"Kate, he sat in that chair, day after day pulling your pigtails and how do you respond? You flaunt a new boyfriend in his face and, oh by the way, how's that boyfriend working out for you today? I believe you said he left for a week and now he has called and said he will be gone another week. Or will it be more?"

"That wasn't nice, Lanie"

"Truth hurts?"

"Lanie that's not fair. I really like Josh and we are getting closer, and yeah I guess Castle felt a little uncomfortable, but I don't know why. Do you think this is why he left the precinct?"

"Kate, you are a lot brighter that this. Richard Castle was not following you around to write a book. He followed you around because he loves you "

Those words hit Kate Beckett in the chest like a sledge hammer "Lanie, why do you keep saying that?"

"Because it's true. Kate that sex scene he wrote about in his first book with you? That was his wishful thinking"

Kate knows what Lanie just said is true

"I know you, Kate, and you WERE jealous when Kyra showed up just after the first book came out. Someone overheard her tell you that she was letting you have Rick, but instead of taking him, you threw him away. Again!"

"Lanie that's not how it happened"

"Yes it is and you know it. And I also know for a fact that Natalie Rhodes asked Castle to sleep with her so could get the feel of her character, or more accurately get a feel of Castle and he could get a feel of her too. But he refused because of his feelings for you. She thought Castle was gay? Again someone heard her tell you that she could see how you two both felt about each other but you ere fighting it. But again you passed him up for Josh."

"Lanie you can stop anytime. I never felt like he really cared about me. He was just looking for just another…"

"Another what Kate?"

Kate stops talking trying to find a word to use. It was so obvious that she was no conquest, so what can she really say about what he wanted in the relationship

"So Jordan Shaw telling you to your face that Rick cared about you was not enough? Kyra knew it. Javi told you that Castle didn't want to see you be with another guy. Agent Fallon with homeland thinking you two were together because of the electricity between you two? And don't forget how many times I tried to push you two together and all you did was push me back. Are you trying to say that none of there people are right?"

"Lanie…" Kate whines

"And you tell me girlfriend! How much Castle has done for you without ever asking for anything from you? He paid out a hundred thousand dollars of his own money for you to find you mother's killer. He found and fixed your dad's watch after your apartment was destroyed. He offered you to stay at his place, with no strings attached, I might add. He got a forensic scientist to look over your mom's case to help locate the killer. He has brought you lunch and dinner how many times? He has saved your life more than I care to count. And oh yeah coffee every morning to start your day with a smile. And what does he get in return?"

Lanie puts a stronger punch into her next words

"JOSH shoved in his face"

Kate just looks out in the distance "Yeah Lanie, but it's complicated"

"I promise if I hear you say that word one more time, I'm gonna smack you. There is nothing complicated about a man loving a woman. Especially that man" as the throws her thumb toward Kate's front door "loving this woman" pointing directly at Beckett

"But you know where we are today. Don't you?" Lanie continues

"No tell me all knowing mind reader" Beckett responds

"It's over"

"What are you saying?"

"He has finally stopped bothering you Kate. I heard that you and Castle were having a very nice conversation about the bomb you two disarmed and it looked to Javi that Rick was getting ready to say something to you when your motorcycle boy showed up. Castle left. End of story. Right? That's the last time anyone heard from him"

"Lanie. I really messed this one up didn't I?"

"Pretty much"

* * *

**I couldn't leave everyone in the dark over the week end.  
So I decided to post this to keep** **the interest up**


	9. A love story

The dinner party was filled with fun, laughter, great conversation that was only out done by even greater food.

Richard Castle had never had true southern cooking. He had tried several New York restaurants that 'claimed' they were serving southern cooking, but after the meal he just finished, he will never return to those places ever again.

He honestly felt like he had died and gone to heaven. The main course was deep fried chicken with mashed potatoes and real cream gravy with sides of mixed greens and red beans with cornbread. The dessert was hot peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream.

During the course of the meal, he was repeatedly offered seconds and thirds of everything including dessert. How do these people stay slim if this is their daily dinner selections, he wonders?

After the meal is concluded everyone retreats to the veranda where after dinner drinks are passed around. He is actually enjoying the company of so many friendly people.

The conversations naturally circle back to Richard Castle, the famous author, and his books and all the players he has written about

The conversation is relaxing tonight because it seems these people are respectful of his work and not ragging fans who are intent on demanding he explain why he did something or why didn't he do something else. These fans seem to appreciate the talent of their guest and Richard Castle is enjoying the laid back attitudes of everyone present.

Rick is also very pleased that no one brought Kate Beckett as Nikki Heat and any possible relationship between them. He would have had a hard time dealing with that at this moment

As the evening draws to a close the hosts politely wind down the conversations so everyone knows it is time to close for the night. After the final couple has left and it is only Castle and his hosts, Janice and Hank.

Hank turns to Castle "Rick, I must say having you here has been a real pleasure. We don't get a lot of New Yorkers for dinner"

"The pleasure is all mine" Castle responds

"Rick, when do you need to leave in the morning?"

"I just need to be in Miami tomorrow night and check into the hotel. My signing is on Saturday afternoon"

"That is going to be about a 6 to 7 hour drive. So we can get you up early, have breakfast, and then see you safely off.

"I want to thank you and your wife for your hospitality. My stay here has been really great"

"You are very welcome. I hope you have had an enjoyable taste of southern hospitality"

"Yes Hank I am very impressed. I envy your home. It is beautiful and the evening relaxing"

"Well Rick, you have brought a great deal of enjoyment with your books. The people you met tonight are all fans of your work. Both the Storm and of course the Heat series"

Castle just smiles in acknowledgement to the compliment

"And by the way that is a cute picture of Janice you posted on your web site"

Castle feels his face turn red and his chest tighten. He is thinking that this might not have been the best idea he ever had. Sometimes he does things without thinking about the consequences

"UH! Sorry about that. It was just such a nice picture and I will say you have a lovely wife. I sometimes…I…Uh…don't realize…"

Hank laughs "Don't worry Rick. I get that a lot when people see her. She is lovely isn't she" as Hank smiles toward Janice. "I am a very lucky man and I know it" He has a look of someone totally in love with his wife

"Yes you are Hank" Castle responds then he decides this might be an opening where might be able to clear up something in his head

"I hope you don't mind me asking but when I met Janice in Cambridge she said her husband died. You look very much alive to me"

Hank chuckles "Oh that is a common question. I am Janice's second husband. In fact she is my second wife."

This story is peaking Castle's interest "OK I need more" he is thinking

Without prompting Hank begins telling the story

"Janice and her first husband Chuck owned the Morgan Furniture Company. Manufacturers of fine custom wood furniture. Chuck was very particular about the raw materials used to make his tables and other pieces. Most of the wood he selected himself, placed it in a drying yard, and then when he was satisfied it was dried he brought it to my mill for cutting down to more manageable pieces."

"So that explains what she said about how he died?" Rick questions

"Yes. He was bringing a load to Hank's mill when a strap broke on the truck" Janice actually answers the question.

Castle is impressed how she seems calm about the loss "So you two met because of that?"

"Yes. I mean we knew each other enough to say hi on the street but not personally" Hank responds

Then Janice interjects "But Hank had also suffered a loss. His wife passed away a year earlier but in her case it was natural causes"

This story is really getting Ricks attention. There two people came together due to tragedy in both of their lives. "So did you start dating then?"

Janice laughs "No actually I couldn't stand him"

"Janice be nice. That reputation was not true and Rick does not need to know all the sordid details" Hank actually grabs Janice and tickles her

Castle is watching there two cavorting like newlyweds

"It started with a woman in town claiming he was a playboy and ran around on his late wife while she was dying. Then after she passed away all the single women lines up trying to go out with him" Janice looks at him again "He is the richest man in three counties. He owns the bank, the mercantile, the short haul trucking company, the mill, and this plantation which is still operating"

Castle is now even more intrigued. Maybe there really is a story here he could use

"Now how long have you two been married now?"

Hank peers into Janice's eyes. Castle sees a look between these two similar to what he has done with Kate many times.

"Only eight years. It could have been longer and that is my fault" Hank responds

"Fault? What do you mean fault?" Rick is listening to this story unfold

Janice is looking over to Hank with obvious love in her face "After Chuck was killed I went into a deep depression. My two boys lost their dad. I was afraid the business was going to fail because Chuck was the driving force in the custom furniture manufacturing but Hank here came along and held me up"

"She gives me way too much credit. I had just lost my wife to cancer and I needed someone to talk to. Someone to hold me up"

"So each of you had a need and the other one filled the empty gap?"

"That pretty much covers it, but I was stupid" Hank responds

"How's that?"

Janice answers that question. "After Chuck died I was afraid of every new day. What more grief tomorrow would bring but Hank was ALWAYS around to help me with those tomorrows. When I needed help selecting wood, he came by and picked it out then took it to his mill and prepared it for the manufacturing process. When I needed help in the shop, he sent over some of his best craftsmen"

"I just did what any friend would" Hank tries to deflect her comments

"But then most importantly he was ALWAYS there for the boys. He began coming to their football games and then other events important to them. I think they took to him quicker than I did but I was stupid"

"Quit saying that" Hank gently pokes her in the side

"What did you do?" Rick is wanting more and more. This conversation is worrying him

"Hank here is rich. I mean rich probably like you are Rick with all your books and I was just a widow with a struggling business and trying to raise two teenagers. There was an old high school friend who is now at the university He is a professor of ancient history. Tenured with all the scrabbled eggs on his hood. Doctorate of something in ancient studies. A really nice guy. And we started dating and I pretty much ignored Hank"

She pauses "But actually I was hiding from Hank"

"Rick, the truth is it was my fault. I did not tell Janice how I felt about her. I kind of fell for her, but she was the first relationship I had had after my wife and I was afraid that she might think I was being too aggressive. I bet I tried to tell her a dozen times how I was feeling but I always chickened out or someone interrupted us".

Castle thinks about how many time he tried to talk to Kate and they were interrupted

"And I thought he was not interested in me"

"Oh but I was in the biggest way"

"Janice continues "Then one night at one of the football games, my oldest son, Todd, the one I was seeing up at Cambridge broke his leg at a game. I was a total and complete mess. I did not know what to do. I was falling apart. I wanted to call my so called boyfriend but he was at some archeological dig in Arizona where they had found a single bone. He said it was too important a find for him to leave and he could not be here for me. I told him then and there not to bother me again and hung up"

Castle is beginning to see the parallels to him and Kate

"So what happened then" Rick is dying to know how this story goes

"I was sitting in the waiting room at the hospital and Hank was there as he Always was. By my side. Always there for me. My other son Chip noticed me crying and asked me what was wrong and I told him what was happening. He looked at me and said 'Mom. Hank is here. He has ALWAYS been here, and he loves you and Todd and me. So what's the problem?' That's when I turned to look at Hank here…" as she looks at her husband

He finishes the thought "I finally gathered the courage to say something to her. I told her I loved her"

See seems to be trying to find words to use now "I jumped up and grabbed him right there in the hospital. It might have been a little risqué for a hospital waiting room but I just had to do it. Before it was too late

"So you two danced around your feelings for how long?" Rick asks

"About three years. It might have never happened but for someone else opening my eyes" Hank answers.

"And me stop hiding from my feelings and to enjoy my tomorrows" Janice finishes

Rick decides that it is time for him to head to bed. He is going to go in his room and get ready for his tomorrow

"Thank you two for everything. The guest house. That wonderful meal, but most of all the fantastic conversation. Now I am going to go to my room and call it a night. But before I do, can I get a picture of the two of you. I want to add it to my web site"

Hank asks one of the servers who is still cleaning up to take a picture of all three of them

* * *

He returns to the guest house and sits down on the bed. That conversation makes him realize just how much he messed up with Kate. He has so many chances to talk to her that he allowed to pass by. His Nikki Heat book party. Telling her goodbye in the lobby when they had closed the Talbot case and other many times. When he made the final break with Gina, he should have told Kate that it was because he loved her but just couldn't' speak

Kate took his breath away. Maybe her dating other men is just as much his fault.

He knows it's too late now. She wants the doctor and for her maybe that is what she really wants and needs. The only thing left for him to do, when he returns to New York, is to talk to her and then close the book with Kate and let her move on gracefully.

Friday morning Castle is up early. He steps outside to find his hosts having breakfast together. Together like he wishes he could have with Kate. He is offered any number of selections for the start of the day. He chooses simple scrambled eggs with sausage. He forgot one thing about southern sausage. IT IS SPICY.

After recovering his taste buds, he asks for bacon. The meal again is wonderful and he is looking forward to returning some day.

The car is loaded and Castle is ready to hit the road. Hank gives him a firm handshake and Janice gives Rick another bear hug before telling him goodbye

Hank laughs "Don't worry, Rick. She is a hugger"

The trip to Miami takes all of 7 hours before Rick is pulling into his hotel. He checks in and goes to his room to rest and clean up before dinner. Tomorrow will be a day fill with a lot of activity. Book signing, fans and pictures with fans

But he just doesn't know how much other activities will occur Saturday

* * *

**I hope everyone understands the importance of these two**


	10. Kate makes a decision

Katherine Beckett has spent most of last night in her apartment crying. Her best friend and mentor, Lanie Parish has definitely put her in her place.

That deep dark place inside where no light enters. A place that she feels like she probably deserved to be. She has decided that somehow she wants to salvage something even if it is just the former partnership she had with Rick Castle. But even that is looking very remote at this moment. She has decided that she wants more.

She finally drags herself out of bed, showers and dresses.

After getting a cup of coffee down, she comes up with a plan. She is going to find Castle and have that face to face direct conversation with him that they both have been avoiding.

She considers taking the money he gave to her and returning it to his apartment. She can get in, if she really needs to. When she stayed there after her apartment was blown up, he never asked for his key back.

She actually thought it was his way of inviting her to his place anytime she wanted. Maybe it was, but she can't be sure.

After finishing her plan in her head and packing she calls the airline and requests the next plane to Miami. All the coach seats on all flights are booked until late in the afternoon. She then asks if there are any first class seats and she is told there is one at the 3:00 PM flight. She says that she will take it. After hanging up she smiles at herself. He really wants her to have the money? Well she decides that she will put it to good use.

After finishing making her reservation, she calls her boss, Captain Montgomery and asks if it is all right if she goes ahead and takes that week he offered to her.

"Of course Kate. Did you change your mind on spending time with the good doctor?"

"Actually sir, he changed his mind about spending time with me"

"Are you going to go find him?"

"No sir! I am going to go see someone else. Someone that I should have been with for the last three years"

"I know who that is. It's about time Kate. Good luck" Montgomery hangs up on the call

Kate chuckles to herself. I guess if I call the boys I will get the same response that I just got from the boss. Is everyone on board with this? She considers all the things her friends did over the last three years that her and Rick were partners. Lanie always asking Kate why she spent time with her instead of having fun with Castle. Asking Kate if she were jealous over some female Rick was spotted with. Always pushing her toward Rick and Kate standing her ground.

Next Beckett calls her investment banker "Roger its Kate Beckett. It's been a long time since we last talked"

"Well Kate Beckett. I have not heard from you in about what? Five or so years? What can I do for you today?" Roger asks

Roger Murphy is the investment banker that Jim and Johanna Beckett used to manage their money during most of their marriage. He was kept on to manage Kate's inheritance from her mother after her death. He actually did a very good job and increased Kate's inheritance several times over during the last 13 years.

"Roger I have come into a large amount of money and I need to bring it in to be deposited. Are you going to be there today?"

"Yes, until about noon. Can you come in say at 10:00?"

Kate looks at the clock and sees it is just after 9:00

"See you then" Kate responds

She checks her bag to make sure she has enough clothes for at least a couple of days.

She then checks her closet for any of Josh's things. She only finds one shirt and one pair of pants. Something he changed out of when he put on scrubs one day before shift. As far as giving him room in her closet. No man has ever had that privilege before.

She takes her phone from her pocket and selects a number and types a message

"Josh I really like you but this is not what I need right now. It is best if we end this before anyone gets hurt. So please do not come to my place again. I will send your things to the hospital later. Kate"

She then selects another number from her phone and places the call. After only one ring

"Girlfriend. Tell me you are on a plane heading to Florida"

"Good morning to you too Lanie. And yes I will be on the 3PM flight today. First Class I might add"

"Way to go Kate! Have you told motorcycle boy yet?"

"I know this is cruel, but is just sent him a text message breaking up with him. He will get it sometime. The connections down there is really bad"

"I know. So are you still home?"

"Packed and ready to take off. First I have to go deposit this check and I am leaving to go there now"

"Is it burning a hole in your pocket?"

"My pocket, my purse, my bag. All I have done is look at it since Paula handed it to me. I still don't believe it's mine. I have never seen a check for over two million dollars before"

"You and me both! Hey now I have two multi millionaire friends. You and Castle"

"Lanie I hope he is still your friend. Even if I can't fix us I want him to stay your friend"

"I'll bet you can convince him if you use all your natural talents, that is"

"Lanie" Beckett whines at her friend's forward comments

"I have to go. I'm meeting with my banker to get this check deposited. I'll call you back before I leave for Miami" Kate hangs up the phone and heads out her front door and down to the bank to place these funds into accounts and make it grow. Kate feels a little dishonest with Rick. Even though she felt that they were not close enough for her to tell him that she actually did have money she feels maybe she should have said something.

But they really weren't that close Oh wait, they were in fact very close. They kissed, almost died frozen in each others arms. Bomb in her apartment. A shooter after them more than once. Then she lived in his loft for a while.

Time after time these two saved each other and now she wants to save THEM again. Except the word save can describe different things.

She makes the trip to the banker in record time and doesn't wait for long before she gets to see him. She sits in the chair beside his desk and waits until he finishes with the paperwork at hand.

This gives her a new perspective on what Castle has been doing for three years just waiting for her to toss him a bone.

Later today she plans to toss him all of her bones along with the body over them. 'Did I really just think that?' She wonders to herself

"Well Kate, what can I do for you today" Roger asks

"You can put this money to work for me" Kate hands him the document. He glances at the check then does a double take

"WHAT... How..? Who..? Kate? Is this real? This is over two millio…" Roger is doing nothing but stuttering

"Easy Roger. It is real and it is mine" Kate assures him. Or at least tries to assure him

"Where did you get this? I mean who gave…? What did you have to do for this?" He didn't realize the question came out a little salacious

"I am listed as co author on the Nikki Heat books by Richard Castle and this is my first royalty check"

"Author? How did you become an author. I thought you were a cop, not a writer?"

"Rick listed me as his co author and I get money. I think that's kind of cool. Don't you?"

"I mean how did you get this honor?"

"Have you read any of the Nikki Heat books?"

"Yeah, I did. OH are you telling me you are Nikki Heat?"

"I'm the inspiration for her. So that's how. Now. You can stop drooling over the check and put it into my investment portfolio. OK?"

"UH! Yeah. Let me do some paperwork and you can be on your way, Kate. Oh excuse me that should be Ms. Beckett now"

"Funny Roger. Can you make me a copy of that check so I can frame it?" Kate asks

"Absolutely" Roger takes the check and places it into a scanner and in moments he has a color copy suitable for framing

Beckett returns to her apartment right at noon. Inside she rolls her bag out to the door and calls Lanie back again.

"I'm heading out the door in about two minutes. Please wish me luck. I will probably need all of it I can get"

At this moment there is a knock on Kate's door "Lanie someone's here. Let me call you when I get to Florida"

"Talk to you then"

Kate walks to her door and opens it. She is shocked by the person on the other side who barges in uninvited yelling at the top of his lungs

"Where is he" I'm going to kill him"

"Josh! There is no one here!" Beckett responds

* * *

**Well. It looks like she may not make it to Florida in time**


	11. Is Alexis alright?

**Everyone together now I HATE JOSH!**

**Feel better? I know I do**

* * *

"Josh I thought you were in the Amazon or something"

"I came back" He is looking around the apartment expecting to find someone else in there "So Where is he?"

"Where is who?"

"Castle or Rick or writer boy or lover boy or partner. Whatever you are calling him today. I want to see him I want to break his…"

"Stop it Josh. There is no one here. I am alone"

"Then what's the meaning of the break up text? I thought we are doing great"

Kate steps back further into her apartment

"Josh look. This is just not working out. That's all"

"Not working how? We love each other. We said it on the phone when I talked to you yesterday"

"No, Josh WE didn't say that. You may have said it to me but I don't feel that way about you. Sorry"

Kate realizes the she has never said those three words to any man before. Telling a man that she loves him will be crossing a line she put down in the sand a long time ago. She knows that the feeling might just be trying to come to the surface and it has nothing to do with the good doctor standing here but someone else

"Why do you not feel that way Kate? We have been having a great time"

"Look Josh. We were having fun. When we were together that is. But actually being together was few and far between. And just having fun was not enough. You were either on shift at the hospital or off in some foreign place saving humanity and don't get me wrong you doing those things are heroic and great. You are a wonderful heart surgeon fixing broken hearts but I have a hole in my heart that all the medical professionals in the world can't fix"

"But some uneducated author can?" Josh replies in complete sarcasm

"Josh, don't make this any worse with you unnecessary comments".

Kate draws in a breath "And why are you here anyway? You were headed to the Amazon or something when I talked to you yesterday"

"We were diverted at the airport. There are too many relief people there and they asked if we would come back in a week to relieve them"

"And so you are planning to go back next weekend?"

"Of course. I am needed there"

"Josh there were many, many times you were needed here and you weren't"

"Right! So this time I jumped at the chance to come home and be here with you. Kate I'm here and I will be here all week if you can take time off work and we can try and fix this"

"Look! Here's the problem. I have come in second with you all the time we have been dating but the 'HE' you keep talking about has always put me first even though we are just friends…"

"Friends right! What is he, 'friends' with benefits?

"Josh. I think it is best if you leave. NOW!" pointing at the door "That sack is what few clothes you left here. Take them and go. I really think it is best this way"

"But Kate…"

"Josh. LEAVE! NOW!" she again points to the door

"He won't last or rather you won't last with him. He will use you up and move on to another woman after you like he always does. You know he is that kind of a guy"

Kate is getting more and impatient with each comment

"Good by Josh" as she closes the door in his face.

Kate Beckett feels like one very large weight has been lifted from her. She leans against the door and smiles. Now if I can fix the other issue everything will be perfect. She looks at her watch and realizes she must hurry to get to the airport and catch that flight if she is going to get to Miami before Castle leaves.

She grabs her bag and rushes out the door and hails a cab. "Get me to the airport" she tells the driver "And step on it" She always wanted to say that to a cabbie in New York

* * *

Eleven thirty in the morning in Miami Florida is hot and steamy. Rick Castle is glad he gets to spend the next three hours inside the bookstore in the air conditioning. As a New Yorker he is not accustomed to 100 degree heat with 90% humidity. He is thinking 'how do these people do this?'

Just as he arrives at the table to get ready, he spies Paula visiting with the store manager. He walks over to her "Paula can I see you a minute?" as Castle indicates that he wants a private conversation

"Hey Rick you look like you are about to melt in the heat"

"You look a little sweaty yourself" He chuckles

"Women don't sweat. We perspire. So Rick what do you need?"

"Did you do what I asked about the royalty payments?"

"Of course. All taken care of"

"How did she take it?"

"I don't remember ever seeing a cop cry before. She was very emotional"

"OK so she knows that this is just the beginning for her?"

"Yes Rick. What is going on here? When you asked me to do that I thought you were severing ties and now you seem honestly worried about her?"

"It's nothing Paula. Just some things have happened that got me thinking about her…I mean how she is doing"

"Well Mr. Writer right now I need your mind thinking about the next Nikki Heat book"

"OK! OK! Are we ready to start this?" Looking at the line forming at the table

Paula looks at her watch. She is the one who always is trying to get these signings over so Rick can move on top make her more money. "Sure. Let's get going"

* * *

Kate identifies herself as law enforcement and has passed the TSA check point. She is in the departure concourse and it is only 1:30. Her flight is at 3:00 so she decides to go for coffee... It is hard for her to get coffee for herself now since over the last three years someone else always brought coffee to her without having to be asked.

Sitting in the departure lounge sipping on her caffeine, watching the Cable news channel telling the stories of more violence in the Middle East. There are also wildfires burning in Texas and New Mexico

Then the featured story of the day is about a multi car pile up in Los Angeles caused by dense fog on the Pacific Coast Highway. There are 12 cars involved. 2 people were killed and 8 injured and two of those are in critical condition.

Kate is focused on the TV when she hears her cell phone ring. She takes it out of her pocket and is surprised to see the name on the caller ID

It says "Alexis"

Kate hesitates before hitting the accept button. First she doesn't know what to say to little Castle if she asks about Rick. Maybe she doesn't know about the break up. Maybe she does. Maybe she wants to help. Maybe she wants to do to Kate what Lanie did, Blast her up one side and down the other over the relationship

After a long pause, Kate sucks in a deep breath then presses the answer button

"Hey Alexis, how are you?"

There is a woman's voice on the other end of the phone that Beckett does not recognize

"Is this Ms. Beckett?"

"Yes! This is Kate Beckett. Who is this?"

"This is Doctor Sara Mc Masters at Mercy Memorial Hospital in LA. I am calling about a patient who was in a car wreck overnight. Her name is Alexis Castle. We have been trying to contact Mr. Richard Castle who is listed on her phone as her ICE and all we get is a recording. But you were also listed as ICE2 on her phone. We are trying to reach her family. We desperately need to speak to family. Are you a relative?"

* * *

**So I fixed the cliff hanger that everyone hated so much. Are you OK with this one instead?**

**In the event someone is not familiar with the term "ICE". It stands for "In Case of Emergency". The person the responders can call if you are hurt and can't talk. **


	12. Kate in LA

Kate remembered that sometime back during one of Castle's more fatherly conversations that he had with Kate concerning his daughter, he asked her that if something should ever happen to him if she would take care of Alexis and Beckett agreed. Shortly after that conversation Castle brought several documents including a Medical Power of Attorney and gave them to Kate. She scanned the documents and then filed the originals at her apartment

While still talking to the hospital Kate has opened her laptop and has to remote into her system and is sending a copy of the document to the hospital.

She tells the doctor that even though she is not family she can provide a medical POA and that she is giving the hospital permission to treat. She gets the e-mail address and is sending the document while still on the phone to the doctor

"Thank you Ms. Beckett we needed something before we could treat her" The doctor on the other end tells her

"Doctor, I am a New York police detective. I need detailed information" Beckett begins taking extensive notes from the doctor about Alexis, the hospital name, address, phone numbers, and contact information.

"Doctor, I will attempt to make contact with her father and advise him of the situation. In the mean time I am coming out there myself" Beckett tells the physician

Immediately after hanging up with the doctor Kate steps up to the gate ticket counter. She presents her credentials and tells the agent that there has been a medical emergency and she must rebook her flight. Instead she needs to go to Los Angeles instead of Miami and she needs the absolute first flight she can arrange

The counter agent call checks her computer terminal and checks for seat and flight availability.

"Detective Beckett, I have a flight, non stop to LA leaving in 20 minutes with one first class seat available. I will call the other gate and have them hold the push back until you can get there. Your bags will not on the plane however. They have already been loaded on this aircraft"

"That's fine. I can get what I need when I get to LA. Just get me on that plane. What gate do I need to go to?"

"Gate 15 but I have courtesy transport on its way to pick you up. It will be here in about 5 minutes. It is your fastest access"

"Thank you. I need to make a phone call anyway"

Kate steps away from the crowd and takes her phone out and calls Paula. She hopes that his agent answers the call. But she gets Paula's voice mail

"Hello, Paula, it's Kate. I need to get an urgent message to Rick, it's about Alexis…Call me as soon as you get this message"

Kate next types a text and sends it to Paula.

She again dials Paula's number hoping to reach her. Before the call goes thru her phone rings. Caller ID says "Paula"

"Paula, there is an emergency with Alexis. Can you reach Castle?"

After a brief back and forth about who called whom and why, Beckett proceeds to provide Rick's agent with all the important information. Kate gives her the hospital name, address, phone, doctor's name and so forth.

The one thing that she does not tell Paula is that she is already booked on a flight fly there herself and it looks like she may actually beat Castle there

Kate hangs up the call and looks up to see the ticket attendant pointing toward the cart that has just arrived at the gate to pick her up.

The attendant tells the driver "Take this passenger to gate 15 ASAP. They are holding the plane for her"

In less than 5 minutes she is on the aircraft, strapped in, and ready for take off.

The plane departs on time at two fifteen eastern, eleven fifteen Pacific time.

Kate is doing calculations in her head 'Flight time is five and a half hours so they should arrive in California at three thirty LA time'.

During the flight, she is offered a meal, free drinks, pillow, blanket and all the luxuries that go along with first class travel

Beckett feels like this trip is taking days and not hours. But her main worry is not the time. She only concern is Alexis

The plane lands at LAX on time. Since she doesn't have to wait for baggage, she rushes out to grab the first taxi she can find and tells the driver to get her to Mercy Memorial ASAP.

* * *

Paula Haas is on the sidewalk outside the book store. She has just left the book store to go find something cold to drink. Anything cold will be nice if she can just find it.

When her cell phone rings she has to find it in he oversized bag that she brought. She made sure that she was well stocked with sunscreen, bug repellant and extra sunglasses. She fumbles looking for noise making device but before she locates the source of the ringing, it stops.

She decides to continue in her quest for something made with ice when she hears the chime indicating the caller left a voice mail. Then just as she decides that returning the call will wait, another different sound emanates from deep within her purse telling her that she also has a text message

She proceeds toward a sign that indicates a stand selling cold and frozen items. She looks over the menu and then places her order for extra large frozen lemonade for Rick and a large grape snow cone for herself.

While she is paying for the order she hears her cell phone ring again. Whoever is calling is being very insistent. After getting her change, Paula starts digging again. She fumbles thru her bag and finally locates the phone just as the call goes to voice mail. When she looks at the screen she sees that she missed two calls from Kate Beckett and there is message from Beckett marked urgent and an urgent voice mail. She wonders what Beckett would be calling and texting about that is so urgent.

She opens the text message first and reads "Alexis hurt in car wreck. Needs her dad" Then Paula is now panicked she listens to the voice mail

"Hello, Paula, it's Kate. I need to get an urgent message to Rick, it's about Alexis…Call me as soon as you get this message"

Paula immediately calls Kate who answers on the first ring

"Paula, there is an emergency with Alexis. Can you reach Castle?"

Paula listens as Kate tells that Alexis was in a car wreck and is hurt. Don't know how badly right now

"Why did they call you and how did they know?"

"They called Castle's phone but he has a message saying he is out of town and Alexis had me listed as second to call so they did. Can you find Rick and give him this information?"

Paula takes a pad from her bag and starts writing notes. Kate gives her the hospital name, the doctor's name and as much information as the doctor was willing to give to Beckett.

"Thanks Kate, I will give this to Rick. I will arrange for him to head out as soon as I can get him on a flight"

"Paula, will you text me the flight information and hotel information as soon as you get it?"

"Sure Kate I will do. Now let me get this to Castle" Paula says while showing a large amount of panic in her actions

After Paula hangs up with Kate, she turns and heads off without even picking up her order. She rushes back to the bookstore and runs up to the manager. Paula tells her what happened and then grabs Rick up from the table and takes him aside

"Rick Alexis has been in an accident in LA. We need to get you on a plane as fast as I can book a flight. So wrap this up and let's go"

Castle drops what he has in his hands and follows Paula as they leave the store

During the cab ride back to the hotel to gather Rick's bags, Paula is on her phone trying to book a flight for him to LA.

"I need the earliest flight you have. This is an emergency. I don't care how much it costs. First Class, Business Class, Coach. I need the very first seat you have. OK I'll wait"

Castle is on the phone calling the hospital number that Paula gave him.

"Hello this is Richard Castle and I am trying to get information on my daughter Alexis Castle. Yes, she was in a car accident.


	13. Rick in LA

Kate Beckett rushes through the front door of Mercy Memorial and runs directly to the information desk

"I am looking for patient Alexis Castle"

The volunteer punches a few buttons on the computer "She is in ICU that is on the 6th floor. Only family is allowed in there…" By the time the lady behind the counter looks back up, Kate has already run to the elevator and is punching the buttons to bring the cab to the lobby.

When Beckett exits the elevator on the ICU floor he heads directly to the door marked 'Intensive Care Unit'

The unit is secured and access is only given by badgeing in or being allowed by staff. Beckett locates the intercom button and presses it repeatedly until someone answers

"Quit pushing the button. Can I help you?"

"Kate Beckett here to see Alexis Castle"

"Are you family?"

"I am medical POA. Your Doctor Sara Mc Masters called me earlier today"

The doors click and then swing open

"Come to the nurse's station, straight ahead" The detached voice directs Beckett

Once inside the sterile appearing corridor, Beckett starts looking in each room for Alexis as she proceeds toward the station. She hears a voice in front of her "Detective Beckett?"

"Yes. That's me"

A woman is standing at a counter. She is wearing a doctor's lab coat and holding a clip board

"I am Doctor Mc Masters. I am so glad you could make it and I am so glad you had the POA so we could treat Alexis. Please follow me and we can talk. Then you can go see her"

The doctor leads Kate to a family room where they both can visit in private

"Ms. Beckett, First were you able to reach her father?"

"I did contact his agent who said she will get him here as soon as possible. He was in Miami when you called. Paula is supposed to text me with his flight information and she is arranging his hotel stay. He is a mystery writer and he was out of town on a book tour"

The doctor seems to understand "Are we talking about Richard Castle the author of the Derrick Storm and Nikki Heat books?"

"The very same" Kate answers

"Wait a minute. Are you are the detective that Nikki Heat is copied from?"

Beckett just smiles and shakes her head "Yes, But right now I just need to know about Alexis"

The doctor continues "Alexis was involved in a very serious car accident during a dense fog. She and another, older woman, who was driving were in the middle of a multi car pile up. Currently we are dealing with head trauma and a broken leg. The leg injury has been placed in a cast and we are watching all of her vitals very carefully"

"Is there brain damage?" Kate is showing true concern for the girl

"The EEG shows normal activity, but we cannot be sure if and when this will change. We are hoping that she will regain consciousness soon"

"You mentioned another woman. Would that be her mother? Similar features, red hair?"

"That sounds right. She was taken to another hospital. Events like this put a strain on all the facilities so the emergency responders in the field have to decide where patients are taken based upon seriousness of their injuries. We are a level 1 trauma center so Alexis was brought here?"

"I do understand" Kate responds to the doctor "Has her mother been asking about Alexis?"

"I honestly don't know. But right now, let me take you to Alexis and let you see her. We have found that familiar voices help bring people out of comas. So please follow me"

The doctor stands up and leads Kate to one of the rooms

Once inside it is very intimidating for Beckett. She has never liked seeing someone she cares about in pain or suffering. Alexis has several IV's connected to her and monitors reporting her heart rate, breathing and blood pressure.

Dr. Mc Masters tells Kate "Talk to her. Let her know you're here. This might be very helpful in her treatment and recovery"

Beckett walks up beside thebe and leans down "Hey Lexi. Its detec…Uh…err…its Kate. I came to see you. I called your dad and he is on his way. I will be here until you wake up OK? I'm staying until your dad…" then her voice trails off. She is thinking that it might not be the best time to have a reunion with Rick. Over his daughters hospital bed and especially not under these circumstances.

Kate turns around and pulls up a chair to sit. She is almost positive she feels Alexis' hand squeeze hers when she spoke to her.

Beckett feels her phone vibrate. The airline is calling. She steps away from the bed and takes the call.

"Beckett" She listens for just a moment "OK great my bags will get here around seven. Let me find out where you can deliver them"

Kate steps out to the nurse station "Excuse me. Where is the nearest hotel?"

The nurse on duty answers "The Four Seasons is right across the street, but they are expensive, very expensive"

Kate returns to the call "Have them delivered to The Four Seasons Hotel" She listens again "Great. Thank you" She disconnects the call and returns to the room with Alexis

Kate is back to talking to Alexis. Just talking to her about nothing of importance.

Beckett is not sure how long she has been sitting in the chair when she feels her phone vibrate again. She takes it out of her pocket and this time she reads a message from Paula

"Finally got Rick on a plane. He will arrive at 9:00PM. Thank you for caring"

Kate smiles then returns her attention to the red head lying in the bed.

"So Alexis. I hope you have been having fun here with your mom. I will call and find out how she is a little later but right now, I want you to get better. Your father is on an airplane and he will be here really soon and you will get to see him."

Kate then starts talking about Castle. She knows that Alexis is in a coma and probably can't hear or understand everything, but just to have words for the young girl to hear about her dad. Kate starts telling Alexis about some cases that she worked with her dad and how much he helped her and then lunches she had with them. She is not aware of how emotional her voice was sounding as she described Castle and his support

Then she began describing how she was feeling about Rick. How she missed seeing him if they didn't' spend each and every day together. How she enjoyed their little undercover escapades. Their quiet after work dinners. She is careful not to call them a date.

She carefully avoided mentioning anything about her break up with Castle. Kate suddenly realizes she has tears in her eyes

After several hours of just sitting having a one sided conversation with Alexis about nothing of importance, Beckett looks at the clock and sees that it is after 9:00PM and Castle will be here very soon

Kate realizes that she really needs to take shower and a get change of clothes, but her bags probably still have not arrived. She tells Alexis that she will go for now and that her dad is on his way but she will be back tomorrow. As she stands to leave she is positive that she feels Alexis grip her hand.

Kate steps out to the nurse's station and tells the staff that she is leaving and that Alexis dad will be there very soon. She asks the nurse if she know anywhere that she can buy a few clothes if her bags didn't make it. They tell her that there are some places but they are not close by.

Beckett thanks them and walks to the elevator lobby and presses the down button. A few seconds pass before the car arrives. Kate steps in and as the doors are closing another car arrives. When the doors open Richard Castle rushes off and heads to the locked unit doors. He presses the intercom and announces that he is there for his daughter

* * *

Once inside he is escorted to the room where he sees his little girl on the bed looking like she is just asleep.

"Pumpkin, I am so sorry what happened to you and I am so sorry you have been here all alone today"

The nurse is standing at the charting computer station making notes on the record and she turns "OH, Mr. Castle she has not been alone. Your girlfriend was here almost all afternoon. She just left a minute ago. I am surprised you didn't see her in the hallway"

"Castle looks up at the nurse. "My girlfriend! I don't have a girlfriend. Did you get her name? I mean was it Alexis' mother. Red head about her height?"

"No, this woman was tall, golden brown hair. Very pretty. We just thought it was your girlfriend because she provided the POA and gave us permission to treat. She spent all afternoon sitting in that chair, talking to your daughter like she knew her"

Rick is confused. The nurse just described Beckett, but that is not possible. Why would Kate be here and how would she even know about Alexis being hurt

* * *

Kate has walked out the door to the hospital and looks just across the street and sees the The Four Seasons Hotel. This is where the airline was supposed to take her bag. Not thinking that it might be the same hotel that Paula has booked Castle into, she walks over and enters the lobby. She is hoping that she can even get a room for the night.

When she approaches the desk she asks if there might be a room she can get. The clerk tells her that the hotel is full but he will see what he can do

"Can I have you name?"

"Katherine Beckett"

"OH! Yes Ms. Beckett .Your bags arrived just an hour ago. Please fill out this card and I will get your key for you. Your bags are already in the room."

Kate is confused now. She didn't book the room. She just had her bags delivered there.

"Who booked my room?"

"Sorry ma'am. I don't know I just have it reserved in your name"

"Do you need my credit card?" Kate asks

"No Ma'am. The room charges have already been covered"

Kate is very confused. This is very odd but I guess Paula must have done this!

The desk clerk hands Kate a card key and directs her toward the elevators. When she arrives in the room she discovers an elegant two bedroom suite and her bag is in the entry hall.

She is now so tired she really doesn't care. Her body clock is still on New York time where it is after midnight. She walks into one of the bedrooms and starts stripping off her clothes and heads straight to the shower.

Once the warm water covers her body she begins to relax for the first time in days. She decides that she will spend the next hour in this shower relishing the warm water cascading all the way from her head to her toes.

Once she finishes removing the grime from from this long day, she wraps herself into a terry cloth robe hanging on the door inside the bathroom.

She walks out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. She picks up her dirty clothes and lays them in a pile near the bathroom door. She will send these to the laundry tomorrow morning. After opening her case and placing what few items she brought into the dresser, she thinks that she will find a way to go to a store tomorrow and buy some more clothes. If she stays here very long, she will need some additional items.

She opens the bedroom door and walks out to the living area expecting to be alone in the suite only to come face to face with…


	14. We can talk tomorrow

"Well Hello Kate, fancy seeing you here"

Beckett is stunned to find Paula Haas sitting comfortably on the living room sofa

"I knew you would be coming here, I'm the one who booked the room" Paula states

"What do you mean you knew" Kate responds

"Kate after you called me and told me about Alexis, I called back to the hospital and found out that you sent the medical permission so they could treat Alexis. You didn't have to do that"

"Yes I did. Rick asked me once some time ago that if something ever were to happen if I would take care of her. I said I would. So I had to do that"

"Kate, there are a lot of people who would have just said 'that's not my responsibility' and moved on but you still made sure she was OK. And you flew out here to be with her WHY?"

"It was the right thing to do?" Kate answers more like a question

"No Kate. If it were simply just the right thing to do, you wouldn't be in LA after spending all day flying here and sitting there keeping that little girl company until her father arrived. There is a lot more happening inside that little head of yours"

Paula's observations are hitting close to home for Beckett "Paula what are you trying to imply?"

"I am not implying anything. I am saying straight out. You need to get dressed and go back over to the hospital and face the music with Rick"

Kate is now facing the same demons that Lanie placed before her

"Kate. You are a brilliant detective. You track down killers with only a small scrap of evidence, yet you have had a man following you around who is madly in love with you and you can't see it?"

This is beginning to sound like Lanie all over again. This time it hurts even more

"Paula this thing with Rick. It's compl…"

"Don't you dare say complicated. The only thing complicated is the blinders that both of you two have been wearing"

"Paula, I just needed to be sure Alexis was all right. That's all. I didn't do this because I messed up with Castle"

"If that was all there is to this, then why are you still here? You would be on a plane heading back to New York right now"

She lets Beckett ponders that statement for a moment then

"Or were you hoping to fix the breakup?"

"Paula I really messed up with Rick. I damaged our friendship totally and completely so I guess that I do need to just pack up and go home now"

Kate stands but before she can make it to the bedroom door Paula responds

"Kate! What you did today for Alexis fixes anything and everything you might have ever done to that man, so don't be afraid"

Paula pauses only for a moment

"He still loves you"

"Still loves me? What do you mean still?"

"Just go back over there and tell him how you feel"

* * *

Castle is sitting at his daughter's bedside holding her hand and talking to her just like Beckett was doing earlier. He is just not fully aware that it was Kate who was with his little girl.

"Pumpkin, I need to go outside and make a few phone calls and I will be right back OK?"

He thinks he feels her squeeze his hand when he says these words.

Castle steps back outside and takes out his burner phone and dials a number. He is hoping that the person on the other end is in fact not home. The phone rings and he gets a recording to leave a message.

"Kate, It's Rick. Uh…I…I am not sure what to say…never mind" and he hangs up. OK Beckett's not home. Let me try her cell.

Again he dials a number, but this time he hears the person answer, except he hears the person both in the telephone and the person speak from behind him

"Beckett"

Castle looks up and spins around to come face to face with Kate Beckett

"Kate" Castle says with a question and a gladness in his voice

"Hey Castle" she responds with trembling in her voice

"It WAS you?"

"Was me what?"

"You are the one who has been here with Alexis all day?"

"Yeah. I guess it was"

These two are moving closer and closer and their eyes have locked on one another

"You took care of my girl"

"I thought it was the right thing to do"

Another step closer and neither one is blinking

"Thank You"

"Always"

Castle and Beckett are almost touching. They each can feel the static electricity surrounding their bodies.

It will only take one more very, very short step and these two will be connected but then the nurse comes out of Alexis' room and announces

"She's awake"

This, of course breaks the trance. They both turn and rush into Alexis' room. Castle naturally stands beside the bed, but Kate stops in the door, feeling she should not be trespassing into family territory

"Pumpkin. Good to see you awake"

Alexis is looking directly to her father and in a very weak and tired sounding voice he hears "Hey dad"

"How are you feeling?"

"OK I guess. What happened?"

"You and your mother were in a wreck"

But the next statement from Alexis catches Castle off guard

"Where's Kate?"

Rick looks over to the door "She's right here. How did you know?"

"She's been with me all day. I heard her talking to me. I tried to wake up and answer her, but I couldn't"

Kate steps up beside Rick "Hey Alexis. I'm here"

"Thank you for being here with me. It was good to hear your voice and all the neat things you said about my dad"

Castle turns to Kate with a questioning look on his face but Kate just gives him an eye roll

The nurse steps into he room and tells them that they need to leave and let them do some tests and that it looks like Alexis is going to pull through fine

Out in the corridor Doctor Mc Masters tells them that it looks like Alexis is going to be OK. She tells the pair she will call if they need anything and that they should go home and get some rest and come back in the morning.

Waiting in the elevator lobby Castle looks over to Beckett

"Kate being here to take care of Alexis. You didn't have to do that"

"Yes I did. She needed someone here who loves her"

Castle can only smile at the answer she gave

Castle and Beckett walk out of the hospital and both cross the street to the hotel. Castle tells Kate that he needs to get his room key so Kate waits while he goes to the desk and checks in.

After he rejoins Kate in the lobby they both walk across to the elevators. Neither has said another word since leaving the hospital. Rick punches the button for his floor. When they exit the elevator they walk together to the same suite door.

Rick puts his key card into the lock and opens the door. Kate follows him inside. He turns and looks at Beckett "Where are you going?"

"This is my room too. It's a two bedroom suite that Paula set up"

"OH" Castle responds not sure what to say next. He drops his key card on the table then walks fully into the room. He turns around

"Kate. We need to talk"

She walks up closer to him "Yeah! We do"

"What happened?" Castle asks

"What happened to what? Specifically?" Kate asks back

"Us? Our friendship?" Castle is still unsure why they are standing here

"I was scared. I mean totally and completely scared out of my mind, scared"

"Scared of what exactly?"

"You"

"Scared of being my friend or my partner?"

"Yes to both but you are more than just my partner"

Castle is taken back by this statement

"Why are you here? I thought you and Josh were having a week alone together"

"He decided that other things were more important than me, as usual, and we broke up. Or more accurately I broke up with him. He was never there for me like you always were"

Kate takes a step toward Castle "For three years you have been the man who was there for me. You were always there for me. I never asked for anything but you always knew what I needed and wanted. So I decided it was time that I needed to be there for you. And when I got the call about Alexis I knew what I had to do"

"So you jumped on an airplane and flew all the way out here to be with Alexis?"

"Actually I originally had a ticket to fly to Miami"

"Why were you flying to Miami?"

"To be with you"

"Why were you wanting to be with me?" Then Castle remembers the last time she had said those words about wanting a man to be there for her and her for him and what her next statement was then

She closes the small gap between them and says "So WE can dive into this together"

"But Kate we..."

"Tomorrow. We can talk tomorrow" she says as she wraps her fingers into his and begins pulling him towards her room

* * *

**Thank you for all your kind comments.**

**I am honored that so many read, reviewed, liked, and followed silly this tale.**


	15. Awaking from a dream

**I'm Back  
I had this already started so I posted it. I have more on this story with a murder to come**

* * *

For the last three years Richard Castle has had this recurring dream. A dream that involves one extraordinary detective

This dream of his was to be able to wake up beside Kate Beckett.

At first he only wanted her so he could add her name to the growing list of conquests. But everything changed. He actually wants for her to be his forever.

But again this morning, Richard Castle leaves his dream world and opens his eyes. He is staring directly at the ceiling above his bed in his darkened hotel room.

He was having that dream again. That wonderful dream. That marvelous dream. That splendid dream. This was a dream he did not want to awaken from, but he obviously did.

This latest dream, however, is a little different from all the previous dreams This time it seemed more real. In this latest dream he had just spent a passion filled night in the arms of Kate Beckett. In this dream they had finally connected after several years filled with false starts and interrupted moments. In this dream she took him into her room. In this dream she made love to him and he made love to her and they had made love to each other mutually.

After all the passion that had built up over the last three years and it had been brought out and released, they fell into blissful sleep still wrapped together in each other's arms. In this latest dream they were both totally and completely immersed into one another and had done so with no regrets.

But now he is in this darkened room, lying in this bed, looking up at the ceiling. His main desire is for this memory to never be erased.

He knows that dreams are ethereal and most times will vanish from the memory soon after sleep has been replaced by consciousness. He closes his eyes again to try and make sure these memories will remain forever in his heart.

When suddenly there is movement beside him. An arm falls across his chest and a head snuggles up to rest on his shoulder. He feels a body pressing into his side and the aroma fills his senses. The aroma that is distinctly HER.

His eyes open slowly and he turns his head to the side to see that she is in fact still here, beside him snuggled into his arms.

His heart races and he believes his mind is playing tricks on him. He thinks his heart is so enthralled in her that this is nothing but a wish his heart has made.

"G'morning" is mumbled by the woman whose head is barely visible under a mass of beautiful golden hair

"Good morning yourself" Castle replies "Did you sleep well?"

"Wonderful" Is mumbled.

Then after a brief pause Kate continues "I just had the best dream"

And with her sexy voice speaking from under the covers. "I just spent the night intimately connected with my best friend, my partner and my favorite mystery writer"

"I had a marvelous dream myself" Castle begins "I just spent the night making passionate love to my best friend, partner and muse"

Kate moves her head to look up to at Rick's face "WAIT! A MINUTE! Who are you?"

As total panic sets across Castle's face, Kate starts to giggle. Her million watt smile fixes every fear that Rick was having

"Katherine Houghton Beckett, you are such a tease"

"Yeah? And what about it? You don't like me teasing you?"

Castle brings both of his arms around Kate's body as if he wants to melt into her and her into him. Making them into one flesh

"HUM" is the only sound emanating from Kate as he does this

"Kate? Did we really just do what I remember us doing?"

"It better have been you, because if it wasn't then someone else had a really good time last night"

"Oh it definitely was me because I promise. I have never experienced anything that comes close to what I just experienced"

"I told you that you had no idea"

Rick turns on his side to face Kate. "We still need to talk".

"I guess we do, don't we? Or did we answer any and all possible questions during the first time, or the second time or the third…"

"OK! OK! We don't need to go there. I guess the feelings we had inside got brought outside pretty clearly, Huh?"

Kate places her free hand onto Castle's cheek, closes her eyes and gives him one more toenail curling kiss

"This is way better than in that dirty alley when we captured Lockwood isn't it?" Rick says while trying to breathe.

Kate puts her arm around Rick's waist and lays her head back down on his shoulder. This feeling is so much better than anything she has ever felt before. This just feels right somehow

Rick closes his eyes and lays his cheek onto the top of her hair. For him, nothing before has ever felt so right

The two of them are relishing in the afterglow of last night when they hear a cell phone. Rick reaches down to the floor where all the clothes and accessory items are scattered, locates the ringing device and, thinking it is his phone, answers

"Castle"

"CASTLE! What are you doing answering Beckett's phone? You're not allowed to answer her phone" He hears the sound of one very head strong medical examiner

"I…UH…OH... Yes I am" Castle stutters when he hears the voice that usually sends shivers of fear thru one Javi Esposito

Kate jumps up and grabs the phone away from Castle

"OH, hi Lanie. How are you? Is everything OK? How are the boys? Is everything ok back in New York?"

"Sweetie! Everything is perfectly fine here. And I would say from the sound of your voice, everything is more than fine there"

"Lanie I don't know what you mean"

"OH. Right girlfriend. OH wait! I think that there is someone else who gets to call you girlfriend now. Am I Right?"

Kate turns her face burn as a bright shade of red covers her cheeks

"Maybe?" Kate looks over to Rick who has a cat eating a canary grin on his face

"Kate! You said that you were going to meet Castle and try to work everything out. I gather you got all the talking you needed to do over with?"

"Actually we did very little talking" Beckett responds while trying to hide her face from Rick

"Right! So how is Miami?"

"Actually we are in Los Angeles"

"LA? What are you doing in LA" Lanie is now confused "I thought you were going to Miami to try and fix the issues between you and Castle?"

"Alexis got in a car wreck and they called me so I flew to LA to be with her until Castle could get to his daughter"

"Is she OK?"

"Yeah. Broken leg, but they say she will be fine. Listen Lanie, we need to get dressed and go back to the hospital".

"WE? Get Dressed? Are you telling me that you are NOT dressed and Castle answered the phone? So that tells me that you two are still in bed?"

Kate looks up at Rick's face. All she can see is teeth as he is grinning from ear to ear

"Yes Lanie. Everything you are imagining is true. So I have to go right now. We can talk later OK? Good bye"

Beckett hangs up the phone

"So, Kate, I guess we no longer deny anything now? Huh?"

"I guess not" Kate drops the sheet that she had covering herself and moves back next to Rick.

"It's tomorrow and we still need to talk" Castle says

"I know. But at least we aren't hiding our feelings anymore" Kate retorts

Rick puts his arms completely around his new girlfriend and says "No more hiding"


	16. Alexis was alone?

Rick walks from the bedroom into the living area of the hotel suite and gathers his bags and he begins pulling them back into the bedroom.

As he walks back into the room, he is struck by the sight of Kate Beckett sitting up in the bed, leaning against the headboard. Her long brown hair cascading across the linens covering the pillow. One long leg exposed from beneath the covers all the way to the hip and with the bed sheet barely covering her upper body. She is grinning at Rick indicating that she is fully aware of what she is doing to him

"If you expect me to get my shower and get dressed so we can go down for breakfast, you need to do something different from what you are doing to me right now" Castle says with great difficulty

"Is there something bothering you?" She responds with relish in her voice

"OH you temptress! You know full well what you are doing to me because you have been doing it to me for three years"

"I have not done this" pointing to herself "for three years but if this is bothering you then I just have to move the covers I guess" Kate responds as she takes the sheet and throws it off the bed and onto the floor completely exposing herself

"What you're doing is not helping. I am going to just remove myself from temptation" And Rick quickly rushes into the bathroom and turns on the shower

Kate is smiling to herself for what she just did. Before yesterday, she would have never so much as thought about doing anything even remotely close to her actions now. The last 24 hours has changed her so much. She feels like a new person has taken over her body. A new person with a complete desire to drive Castle crazy any time, anywhere.

She is grinning as she gets up and goes with him into the bathroom but she does leave him alone to finish his shower then she follows him into the stall. The last thing she wants to happen is for her to walk out into the lobby of this five star hotel carrying on her the pheromones of the man she just spent the night engaged with

Kate tells Castle that she has to go somewhere to buy some more clothes as she did not bring enough for a weeks stay. Rick puts his arms around his newly declared, official girlfriend "If I had my way, you won't need any more clothes for the next week"

That comment is answered by a poke in the chest and a firm "Down boy" from Beckett "You go see Alexis and I will go shopping. I'll call you when I get back here and we can meet up for lunch or an early supper" Kate continues

Castle takes this opportunity to kiss Kate one more time in private before they move to the main lobby for the breakfast buffet

After a light breakfast Castle walks across the street to the hospital to see his girl and Kate asks the concierge for directions to the nearest ladies clothing store.

* * *

On the 6th floor of the hospital Castle enters the ICU and asks for his daughter. He is told that she has been moved to a regular room on the second floor. He knows that this is a very good sign that the medical professionals are pleased with her progress and believe she is near being able to be discharged.

Castle exits the elevator and walks down the hall to the assigned room he was told contained his daughter. As he enters the room, he is surprised to see another red head sitting in the guest chair talking to Alexis

"Hello Kitten" Is the irritating word Castle hears from his ex wife

"OH! Hello Meredith. I was wondering if and when we would be seeing you" Is Castle's opening salvo

"Can we talk? Outside!" As Castle points to the door

"Oh now, Rickey, why are you being so grumpy? I am here aren't I?"

"You are here only after the fact. Where were you last night and the night before when our daughter was in a coma? I thought that Alexis was in a car wreck with you but I find out later that you were not one of the victims. I find out that Alexis was with some other woman. In fact a woman I did not even know. And where were you?"

"Oh Rickey, I was just a little tied up and I had a friend taking Lexi back home. That's all"

"Where were you Meredith? Answer me"

"Look Rick. I had something I had to do related to a try out for a movie"

"Oh I see. The same try out you were doing after Alexis was born? The same try out that I caught you in bed with. The same try out that caused the divorce?"

"Listen Kitten…"

"Meredith! I think that you need to leave now. I will take care of Alexis from here on out. Don't act like you care. Just go"

Castle points to the elevator lobby. Meredith ducks her head and starts to walk away.

"She needs a woman in her life besides your mother and you have never allowed any other woman near Alexis. Just remember that she needs me"

Castle does not even respond to the comment

* * *

Kate returns to the hotel after a quick trip to a ladies shop just a few blocks away. She puts her bags down on the bed and begins taking a few items out of the sacks.

A pair of blouses, some jeans, underwear, of course. And a very, very sexy item of sleep wear.

She is sitting on the bed just looking at the very revealing night gown and it hits her "What has this man done to me?" I have never felt this way before.

She puts the items away and gets up to go across to the hospital and visit with Alexis

When she arrives at Alexis' new room, she can hear Castle and Alexis talking. She knocks before entering

"Detective Beckett" Alexis speaks with a tone of cheer in her voice

"Hey Alexis. And I am just Kate. Not detective Beckett here"

"Oh, all right, Kate. Thank you for being here with me yesterday"

"How are you feeling?"

"My leg hurts but otherwise I guess I am OK"

The three sit and talk for almost an hour when Alexis' lunch shows up.

Castle tells Alexis that he and Kate are going to go get some lunch and do a little shopping and they can come back in a little while

The new couple walks out to the street hand in hand. "Were are we going?" Kate asks

Castle looks to Beckett "Now or forever?"

Kate is surprised by the statement. She feels like Castle is jumping way ahead of where she thought they were

"For lunch? Or what did you mean forever?"

"Just lunch right now. We will talk about the forever later"

As they start to walk down the street they find a little café that serves lunches and more and they go in to sit down

After ordering Kate decides to keep the conversation light "Did you ever hear if Meredith was OK?" Thinking that she was in the accident too, and not realizing that was an extremely delicate subject at the moment

She can see Rick as he sets his jaw before he answers. This is obviously a bad subject at the moment.

"Alexis was not with her mother when she got hurt"

"OH" Kate decides that this is not a subject she wants to continue delving into

"Meredith was with some Hollywood somebody at the time. She was most likely horizontal when Alexis was hurt. She did not even know about the wreck until this morning. That's why we couldn't find out anything about her. She was not even involved in the accident"

Kate reaches out to Castle's hand and places his fingers into a firm grip to show how sorry she is about this

"Castle I am so sorry…"

Castle looks into Kate's eyes "But there was someone who really cares about her there with her. Someone much more important and that means more to me than anything else"

Beckett realizes now what Paula meant when she said that what she did for Alexis fixed anything and everything with Castle

After lunch, they return to the hospital. While Rick is working with the doctors as to when he can take his daughter home to New York, Kate is sitting and talking with Alexis. When Castle enters the room he hears his girls laughing together about something

"Are you two conspiring against me?"

The red head looks up at her dad "No. I am just working on having Kate move in with us"

Beckett turns a deep shade of crimson "That is not what we were talking about" and they both laugh over the comment

Rick is so pleased at what he is witnessing. The two most important women in his life are getting along perfectly. He could not be happier. Well, except he now wants the answer to the move-in question.

"Moving on to a better subject the doctor said that I can take you home tomorrow, but I will have to take you on a private plane, so I am going to go back to the hotel and arrange the charter" Castle finishes his statement

* * *

Castle goes back to the hotel and asks the concierge where he might find a charter flight. Once he gets the information Castle goes into the business center and makes the arrangements.

* * *

Back at the hospital, Alexis has become really tired and Kate suggests that she be left to rest and Kate will also go back to their room but that she will be back to the hospital in the morning so they can all go home tomorrow.

Kate realizes that she now has a tomorrow. And a really good tomorrow with Rick and Alexis

Kate returns to the hotel and finds Castle in their room finishing up on the plans for tomorrow. After telling Rick that Alexis is doing fine but that she needed rest, she suggests that they just order room service and spend the rest of the night alone.

Castle happily agrees

After placing the order for room service, Rick heads into the bedroom to change and Kate is in the Living room reading the local sightseeing and advertising magazine that is left in every hotel room.

Fairly quickly she hears a knock on the door. Her initial thought is that room service is being very prompt tonight. Rick is just walking out of their room after changing so Kate goes to the door and opens it expecting to find a cart with their meal.

Beckett is actually standing behind the door and is almost knocked down by the flaming red head that is rushing in screaming

"KITTEN I'M HERE"


	17. Going home

Richard Castle is more than a just little angry to see his ex wife so boldly shoving her way into their hotel room. She acts like all she has to do to make up for all the damage she has caused is to speak a few I'm sorry words to Rick and he will just pass over the wounds that she has opened

Maybe a few years ago when Castle was more willing to get involved with the next woman in the door that having easy ex sex with Meredith would have been a natural. He is no longer interested in an event that might just end up with the two of them naked and on the floor followed by days and weeks of regrets.

Castle has grown a great deal over the last few years especially where it comes to his daughter's best interests. Right now having her mother in the picture is a far cry from what Alexis needs as a good motherly example.

But he also has grown personally in what he wants for himself emotionally. And that growth he wants includes a particular woman. And that woman is here with him right now

Meredith! What do you want?"

"I want to apologize for what happened the other night when Alexis was in that accident"

"What? Apologize for not being with her? Apologize for not being there to take care of her? Being in bed with some movie producer while our daughter is in a coma in a hospital? Or apologizing for not even knowing that she was hurt for two days? Which one of the things or all of them are you sorry for? Or more likely sorry that her injuries interrupted you little tryst?"

"Rickey" Meredith says with a whine in her voice

"Don't Rickey me, Meredith. As I said at the hospital, I will take Alexis back home and take care of her and you can go back to the casting couch. That seems to be the place you have the most success"

During the course of this conversation, Kate had closed the hotel room door and is now standing in the entry way just listening to the conversation. She knew in the past from some of the things that Castle has said about Meredith that she was never the good mother that Alexis deserved and that was why Rick worked so hard to be a good father for the teenager. Kate just had not seen the level of dislike and distrust that she was seeing from Castle at this moment

Meredith steps up closer to Castle and reaches out toward his torso as if she is planning on some intimate contact

"I bet I can convince you to change your mind. All we need to do is to see if LITTLE Rickey might want to come out and play" she comments as she begins to run her hand down the front of Castle's chest and approaching his pants

This brings Kate to a point that she has seen and heard enough

"If LITTLE RICKEY comes out to play, I'll be the one inviting him over and not you" Beckett says with all the vigor she would normally save for the interrogation room

Hearing the sound of this female cop causes Meredith to spin around to see where the attack came from

"Who are you?" The red head asks. It is obvious that either she does not remember the previous meetings or she has chosen to ignore the possibility that Kate might become a viable foe for the affections of her ex husband

Meredith suddenly recognized Kate "Oh yeah. You are that cop that Rickey has been hanging around to get ideas for his latest books. What are you doing here?"

"Oh nothing much. I just flew out from New York because Alexis was hurt and someone needed to be with her and make sure she got medical care. It seems they couldn't locate her mother to get permission to treat"

"What do you mean you were here? You're not her mother"

Castle responds to this attack "No she may not be, but Kate cares as much about Alexis as I do. And Lexi listed Kate on her phone as an emergency contact. So when she was called, Kate came running. This is more than I can say about her own mother?"

Meredith is taken back by the large pounding she just took from her ex husband. She thinks for a brief moment then looks over to Beckett

"Well, since you're here in this hotel room with Rickey, I am assuming that you are his latest conquest. Just another number in the long list of his numbers I might add. Enjoy him while you can because he will just use you up then dump you when a newer model comes along. That's what he is known for you know"

"Meredith, I think that you need to go before I have you thrown out" Castle comments

"OK!OK! I'm out of here" Meredith walks to the door then turns back around "Detective, good luck with him! You will need it" And she walks out slamming the door behind her

Both Castle and Beckett are just standing looking toward the door. Then after several seconds of silence Kate turns around and looks at Rick's face. She sees what appears to be tears in his eyes. She starts wondering if he is crying because of what Meredith said about him and now he is afraid Kate is going to bolt and run

Beckett steps over closer to Castle before he finally speaks

"That woman can push my buttons faster and harder than anyone I know"

He looks directly at Kate and obviously is concerned about what the flaming red head just said to Kate.

"Please don't believe what she just said Kate I am not that man anymore. I have changed. You changed me"

Kate moves up to Rick and puts her arms around him and lays her head on his chest.

"Castle! If I thought that was true, I would not be here right now. That woman does not know you like I do. I have seen the changes in you over the last 2 years. That's why I am here. I want that change. I love that change"

"Did you just say love?"

Without ever lifting her head she replied "Yes I did say that"

She didn't say she loved him, but she did say she loved the change. Maybe that is what she wanted to say in the freezer was that she how much she loved the change in him. Castle decides to be very careful now. This relationship is too important to him to risk damaging it

There is another knock on the door. The two don't move for several seconds. Then finally Kate releases her grip from around Rick and she walks to the bedroom door while Rick goes to the front door and opens it to welcome the server with their evening meal.

the server finishes his presentation of the meal and Castle signs the check After the waiter leaves the room, Rick turns around to realize that Kate is still back in the bedroom

"Kate, diner is ready" Castle says as she approaches the bedroom door.

Opening the bedroom door he finds Kate waiting for him

Needless to say, diner was cold by the time the two of them returned to the living room to finish their supper.

After they finished the meal they immediately returned to the bedroom

* * *

A new morning brings new life into our couple. Both are finding it difficult to discuss how far they have come now. This is so much more than either one of them thought possible.

"Kate, I need to go get Alexis discharged and on her way home. What do you want to do?"

"I'm with you. We are going together. I will pack up and then take a cab to the airport and meet you there"

"Sounds great" Castle puts his arms around Kate.

"Thank you"

"For what? Great sex? 'Because I was going to tell you the same thing"

"Well that was…fantastic" Then Rick takes a deep breath,"but most importantly being here for Alexis"

"Rick, I would like to be there for her…and you when ever I am needed"

"Kate, please don't run away but…" Rick is afraid of saying the wrong thing now

"Castle. I know what you want to say. I feel the same"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I still want us to have that talk but I think we both need to be sitting up when we try again. We seem to get distracted if we're in the bed"

Rick chuckles at that comment "Yeah we do"

* * *

Richard Castle has checked his daughter out of the hospital and they have arrived at a smaller private airport where they are met by the charter pilot. After getting Alexis loaded and their bags stowed away in the luggage compartment they take off for the big apple.

When they arrive in New York the aircraft captain decides that he must have some very important passengers when he is greeted by several police cars and both uniformed and plains clothes officers.

The ambulance is given a police escort to Castle's loft. The doctors in LA deemed it acceptable for Alexis to go home and then have her see her regular doctor after her trip.

As the attendants are getting Alexis into her room Castle takes one of his bags into his room then returns and then grabs his other bag and also takes Kate's and starts toward the bedroom

"Mr. Castle. Just what are you doing?" Kate asks with a little smile on her face

"Just taking the bags to the bedroom. Why?"

"My bags? Your bedroom" She points out

With a little boy look on his face "You're not staying?"

"No one asked me"

He steps up to her "I am asking. Will you stay?"

"Yes" as she walks around him into the bedroom then the bathroom

Castle goes upstairs and makes sure his daughter is comfortable in her room and has what ever she is needing. He has arranged for a private duty nurse to stay with her.

Back in the bedroom Kate has changed into a very revealing nightgown she bought in LA. She is looking at herself in the mirror when she begins thinking, Kate! What has gotten into you?

Wondering to herself, why does she feel so different? Freer. Kate has never been the fun loving playful person that has come out in the last three days, but she has no regrets either.

Castle crosses the living room and thru the study to his bedroom When he opens his bedroom door there she is. When he crosses the threshold Rick's ability to even think is completely destroyed.

Standing in the bedroom is Katherine Beckett wearing a very short, very transparent night gown that renders Richard Castle totally unable to function


	18. Checkmate

Castle is curled up in his bed.

He can always tell the moment he wakes if he is home or on the road. Home is always better. More comfortable. Better mattress, better sheets. This morning there is a little something even better than he has ever had before. He is not alone. Not that having someone there is the better he was thinking about. It is the who is with him Just that for the last three years he has been wanting this moment to happen and now it finally has.

But the morning starts with the interruption of the ringing of a cell phone. This time Castle makes sure it is his phone he is answering. He looks at the caller ID "Paula"

He takes the phone and turns his back on his partner and then he tries to answer as quietly as possible

"Hey Paula"

Rick, how's your girl?"

"She is doing great. We are back home already. Thank you for getting me to LA as fast as you did. Alexis is going to be fine. Broken leg but no other problems"

"I got your Houston signing postponed for another week. Do you think you can fly there and get it over with then fly back the same day?"

"Sure we can do that. Hey, if I ask a question will you giver me a truthful answer?"

"Haven't I always?"

"Usually. Sometime I wonder knowing your sneaky hidden persona"

"What is it Rick?"

"Were you aware that Kate Beckett had flown to LA to be with Alexis?

"What if I did? Your daughter is going to be fine and that's the most important part. Right?"

"Paula, you had to have known. You set up the hotel room. Were you playing matchmaker?"

"I'll never tell. Anyway, take care of both your girls and we will see you in Houston a week from Saturday". Paula hangs up before Castle can even react to his agent's comment

Rick quietly lays the phone down on the bedside table and then turns over to find Kate lying on the pillow, her long hair partially covering her face but he can clearly see her beautiful green eyes peeking from beneath her bangs

"OK now I know what you meant when you said it was creepy"

I'm not creepy, you are"

Castle puts his head down on his pillow and locks his eyes on hers. He can't get enough of her. Those eyes that he commented about how beautiful they were the very first time he looked into them. It has become a drug for him ever since. Now he can look without drawing comments from the gang around them.

"OH MY GOSH!" Castle comments suddenly

"What's wrong?" Beckett asks

"I was just thinking about everyone else. The last time we saw the boys or Captain Montgomery, you and I were not together. We were…" He really doesn't want to use the words broken up

Beckett thinks for a minute

"Temporarily disconnected? But now look at us. Big change Huh?" Kate responds

The biggest. What are we going to tell everyone?"

"Oh! Don't worry about that. Lanie has probably already posted on the internet about us. I was told there was a betting pool going on about when we would finally do this" She points between them

"Thanks Kate. That makes me feel better. After the way I walked out that day I figured the boys probably had put out an APB on me with orders to shoot first and ask questions later"

"Don't worry, if they do put you in jail, I'll get you out"

"Kate I still want to talk. I have so many things I want to say to you"

"I do too, Rick. Before now I just never had the feelings that I am…"

But before she gets to finish her sentence, her cell phone rings" Caller ID "Lanie"

Kate takes her phone, looks at Castle's face, and then puts it to her ear "Hey Lanie"

"Well girlfriend. How is everything in your world?"

"Good how about you?"

"I'm fine. I have been waiting for you to call me. When are you coming home?"

"Can you give me an hour? I will be home in about an hour"

Where are you now? OH! Never mind. I'll be there then I can interrogate you"

"Lanie!" Kate responds with a huff

"Fine! I want details. All of the details. Understand?"

"All right Lanie. See you then"

Kate looks over to Rick and sees a hurt little boy pout. She snuggles up next to him and gives him a long slow kiss.

"I need to go back to my place for a little while Rick. I need to do some laundry and change clothes"

"I have a better idea. You leave your stuff here, especially that night gown"

(That is currently lying on the floor)

"And when my housekeeper comes here later she will do all the laundry so when you come back it's all clean and ready to put away"

"Put away? Do I detect a suggestion that I might start leaving some of my things here?"

"No suggestion. I am straight out saying it"

"Rick I know we have come a long way in just three days but are you sure that we are ready for that?"

"I am only saying…You can leave a few things here. You know for when you need a place to change or grab a quick shower or a place to crash for the night"

"OH. Just to crash?"

Kate puts her arms around Castle. "Let's go slowly with that OK? Because before a week ago I had never even considered that we might go where we have gone this week"

Castle gives Kate the puppy dog eyes again

"OK Kate. But understand something. I have wanted this from the moment we met and I am willing to take whatever additional time we need to make this work. I want it to work more than anything I have ever wanted"

Beckett smiles at Castle before responding "All right. Your housekeeper has a few more items to wash. But just this time! For now I need to go ahead and go to my place"

Beckett gets up and gets dressed. Before she can leave Castle has fixed her a cup of her favorite coffee and as she is walking toward the front door he hands it to her. Her immediate response is a smile and the a kiss goodbye

Castle speaks up "Kate"

"Yeah?" She responds

After a moment's pause while he thinks about what he is going to say

"Hurry back

"I will"

* * *

In the taxi on the way to her apartment, Kate's brain is running a marathon

'What did I just do? What did WE do?'

She closes her eyes and reminisces about the last three days.

The question in the forefront of her mind is

"Was it the right thing to do?"

And she keeps repeating the same answer in her head

YES!

* * *

After she arrives at her building she quickly jumps into the shower and then dons a comfortable pair of lounge pajamas

She no more gets dressed and goes to the cooler to remove a new bottle of wine that there is a knock on her door.

Kate opens her front door and before she can say "Come in Lanie" The feisty medical examiner is already inside, past the entry hall and headed to the counter with a new bottle of wine she brought.

She firmly sets the new bottle on the counter top, turns around and before she can start up on her best friend she sees the change in Beckett

"Kate, even if I did not know about you and writer boy finally connecting, all I have to do is look at you and I can see the love you have in your eyes for him. You were at his loft when I called, weren't you? When did you come in? Last night?"

Beckett ducks her head slightly

"So I want the information. All the information. You hold nothing back. You understand me?"

"Yes Lanie, I understand. But please give me a little time. This is just so new to me. I really want to keep some of what we have together now to ourselves"

"OK. Then just the highlights. When? Where? What time? How many? Good? Bad? So So?"

"Lanie if I answer any one of those questions, I will give it all away"

"Start at the beginning. The first time we talked you were going to Miami to jump him but you ended up in LA. What is that about?"

At this moment Beckett's cell phone rings with a call tone she set for emergencies only.

She picks up her phone and caller ID says 12th precinct"

"Beckett… Yes captain I am back in town. WHAT? How many? Yes sir, I will be right there"

"What's going on? I thought that you had the rest of this week off" Lanie asks

"I did but there has been a bombing at the Regents Hotel. Everyone's being called in"

Isn't that where the international Chess Tournament is being held this week?"

"That's where the bombing was in the grand ballroom. The two chess players were killed and there are several injuries. Some very severe"

"Let me get my stuff together and I'll ride with you"


	19. Fallout

**Time to add murder to our story. Or is this a terrorist plot?**

* * *

The entire block of West 57th street is cordoned off. No traffic is permitted inside the perimeter set up by CSU.

Kate pulls her cruiser up beside the barricades then turns on her emergency lights to indicate that this is a police vehicle. Beckett and Dr. Parish both get out of the car and step into the blocked off area. A uniformed officer sees the two women approaching

"Detective Beckett, the command van is around the corner. All officers are in there waiting for the bomb squad to finish their sweep before letting anyone else in. Dr. Parish your people have set up just beyond the police van"

"Thanks" Beckett responds

Kate looks up and down the street in front of the hotel. The front entrance to the hotel looks normal as if there is nothing different happening today. The only indication that there has been an event is all the emergency vehicles in the street. Fire apparatus, multiple ambulances and dozens of marked and unmarked police cars along with the police bomb van.

Just outside the barricades the media has begun setting up. TV trucks and media vans are everywhere and Beckett sees an uplink truck pulling in indicating that the international media has arrived. She sees that the PIO has already begin a news conference but Kate is headed to the command van to get her instructions

As the two women approach the van Lanie spies her colleagues and tells Kate that she is headed to join them. Beckett responds in the affirmative as she steps up into the police mobile command post. Inside she joins the rest of her co workers from the 12th and she picks up on Captain Montgomery's briefing

"What we know right now is that there was some type of an explosion during the semi final match. Witness statements so far indicate the source of the blast was the chess board itself or the table the board was placed on. The blast killed both players instantly and severely injured the arbiter who was sitting nearby. The bomb squad is just about to complete their sweep to make sure there are no other devices, but they feel that this was a specific attack. We just don't know who the target was because the bomb had to be in that board from the beginning of the tournament. So right now we are looking for how it was triggered."

Montgomery looks to his notes "The assignments are as follows: Beckett task force leader. Ryan and Esposito, victimology . Karpowski physical evidence processing Each group leader will pick any additional personnel"

Just as Roy finishes his statement the door opens and Captain Mahoney from the bomb squad steps in "We have finished our sweep and there are no other devices. Your people can go in now"

"Thanks Captain" Montgomery responds. Then he turns to his group "Everyone. This one is in the international news. Let's show the world how we do it in New York"

Montgomery walks over beside Beckett "Kate, sorry if I interrupted anything for you"

"No sir, actually Lanie and I were just getting ready to pour a couple of glasses of wine when you called"

"So you didn't accomplish the task you set out to do?"

Beckett obviously gets a flush to her cheeks so the captain states "Never mind Kate you don't have to answer that. Just tell me that everything is fine with you and your shadow"

Kate smiles "Yes sir. Everything is great. Thanks for asking. And oh by the way I will be taking that other week you offered me after this case is over, if you don't mind"

"You've got it, detective. Now let's go find ourselves a killer"

The group of officers and detectives exit the van and proceed into the ballroom. Once inside, Beckett begins her visual survey of the area. It is quite obvious that the center of the explosion was in the raised platform where the two players were going head to head.

Ryan and Esposito have set up an interview area in a smaller venue adjacent to the scene. The uniforms are interviewing witnesses who were in the room to determine who was where and who might have had the best view of the explosion. If a witness seems to have pertinent information then the uniform brings them in to been questioned by Ryan and Esposito

In the man ballroom Detective Karpowski is walking around with the CSU teams pointing out specific items that she wants photographed and evidence tagged and placed into bags.

Beckett has made a full sweep of the room when she returns to the doors. One thing she noted was that there are cameras placed in the room. Not security cameras, but remote control television cameras the type used to do remote broadcasts without having an operator around.

Kate walks back out to the hallway and steps up to the convention manager and introduces herself "I am Detective Beckett, NYPD and I need to ask a few questions"

"Russ Vargas I'm the convention and special events manager. What can I do for you, detective?"

"I need a list of your staff that was working this event. I need a list of anyone who might have had access to the room from the time it was set up until the blast."

"My assistant will get that for you. This is just terrible. I worked for 18 months to get this tournament to come here and now look what happened"

"Getting this scheduled took over a year?"

"Yes these events don't just call you up and say 'Can we rent a room for the weekend'. These things take months and months of planning"

Beckett starts thinking. If this was a premeditated murder then the killer had plenty of time to plan for it

"Who actually scheduled this tournament?" Beckett asks

"I actually made the first contact. I called the International Chess association and it went from there"

"So this tournament included players from several countries?"

"At last count I think there were over 30 countries represented" Vargas answers

Kate feels her phone vibrate in her pocket. She looks at the screen and sees a man's face that she is already missing and it's only been a couple of hours. "Excuse me" she says to Mr. Vargas

"Hey, Castle" the is obviously joy in her voice

"Hey yourself. I called your apartment and got no answer. I assume you are at the hotel?"

"How did you know?"

"Its banner headlines on all the local channels and the ZNN Headliner News on Cable. Is my new girlfriend deep in the middle of a bombing?"

"So, I AM you girlfriend now?"

"Kate, you are way more than just my girlfriend. So when I get Alexis settled in this morning, can I come down?"

"You know you can, but don't you need to be there for Alexis?"

"The private nurse is here and my mother just got in. She is going to be home for about three weeks before she goes back out to finish summer stock. I will get cleaned up and see you in about an hour. OK?"

"See you then" Kate punches the END button then smiles toward her phone. They are really back together. The team is whole again.

Her mental wanderings are interrupted by a familiar voice

"Hey boss" Kevin speak up "We have something

Kate follows Detective Ryan as he walks toward Esposito

* * *

Inside the loft Castle disconnects his phone and lays it down on the kitchen bar. As he turns toward the stairs he spies his mother quietly descending and walking in his direction.

"Well kiddo how is everything going with you I mean other than your daughter's little mishap?"

Rick is pouring a cup of coffee for his mother and as he passes it to her "Very well actually, except for having to deal with Meredith, that is"

"Oh was hurt badly in the accident too?"

"Mother. She was not in the car. She was with some movie producer when Alexis got hurt. No one could even find her for two days"

"OH! That was not good. So they called you and you had to fly out there?"

Rick is not sure how much detailed information he needs to pass on to his mother this quick

"I was at a book signing in Miami but they were able to get a message to me. When I went out there I had a large fight with Alexis' mother. I told her that we would take care of Alexis and she could go back to her affairs. Then when the doctors released Alexis we brought her home"

"WE? Did you say WE brought her home? Who is the we?"

"That was a sip of the tongue, mother"

"Don't give me that! I know that you have not been here all alone"

Castle wants to keep his new relationship with the lovely Katherine Beckett to himself for a little while longer

"I don't know what you are saying mother. There is no one here"

"She's not here now. But there has been a woman here. So where did you pick this one up, in LA? And since you were taking care of your daughter why did you bring a woman back here?"

Castle turns back to the coffee pot and pours another cup for himself to help gain a little more courage

"Mother this time it's different"

"What do you mean, different? Different how?" The tall red head starts her motherly questioning

"Mother this is not a one time thing. This one is special. She made sure Alexis was safe and got medical treatment before they were able to reach me. She helped take care of Alexis"

"Richard darling. I was hoping it was Katherine"

"You know?"

"Mother's know these things"

"How?"

"When I took some of my dirty clothes to the laundry room I saw her clothes in the basket and I recognized a couple of the items"

"Mother she is special"

"Oh Richard! I know how special Katherine is to you. Don't mess this up. You must talk to her and tell her. Don't beat around the bush. Do not speak to her in code. You love her. Tell her you do and show her"


	20. The Feds can't Leave it Alone

Detectives Beckett and Ryan walk up to Esposito "Javi, what do you have?" Kate asks

"The two players in the semi-final round were Fredrick Matheson representing Great Briton and Vito Novak representing Russia. Novak was actually not from Russia, but he is representing them in this tournament. Both men were their nation's best players and it was a tossup as to who was going to move to the final round. The men were the very best in the world everyone is telling me"

"So do we know of any viable threats surrounding these two men? Any one want them dead? Is there any national or international issues here?" Beckett asks

"None that we have been able to locate. But get this. Witnesses said that it looked like the explosion occurred at the exact moment Matheson moved his queen. They said he picked up the queen and held it for a moment looking at the piece as if he thought something was wrong. Then when he put it down, instantly there was a blast" Esposito answers

"Maybe the killer was after the queen" comes from the voice of Richard Castle as he steps up to the trio of detectives

"Welcome back Castle" Ryan says with a smile on his face "I hear you have been out creating all kinds of drama with the women?"

"WHAT do you mean women drama?" Kate almost chokes when she hears the comment and then she turns a little red

Ryan looks over at Kate and has a question on his face "I heard he had a big blow up with his ex wife in LA over Alexis. Why? What did you hear?"

"OH! Nothing" Beckett responds "What did Rick do that had something to do with Meredith?" Acting as if she know nothing about the argument

"She posted that our writer buddy here was in an LA hotel WITH another woman while their daughter was in the hospital and that they had a big blow up. She said it was just not right for him to be there with this other woman like that while their little girl was unconscious in a hospital bed just across the street"

"Where did you hear this Kevin?" Castle asks

"Jenny reads these tabloid blogs online and she spotted one about you and that was all that was said. That's all. But I told her to not believe all she reads on the internet and especially anything pertaining to you and your ex sex. Uh…I mean ex wife"

Rick looks across to see a relieved Kate. This conversation has now made them aware that Lanie has evidently said nothing to anyone, especially the boys about the new romance going on right in front of them.

Then Castle takes a deep breath and continues with the current case "OK Ryan, so they think the bomb went off when the piece was put down on the board?"

Esposito continues "Yeah, but I am waiting for the A/V director. Karpowski went to find him. I want to see if they have a recording of the tournament. I see cameras all around the room. I hope they were working"

The A/V manager for the hotel steps up to the group "Excuse me, my name is David Carter. I run the Audio/Video Department here at the hotel. I understand you need to see me"

Esposito greets the director "I am Detective Esposito, this is Detectives Ryan and Beckett and our civilian consultant, Richard Castle"

"Glad to meet all of you. I wish it were under better circumstances. What can I do to help?"

"Good to meet you too" Beckett comments "Were you broadcasting the event live?"

"No, but we were recording the action so to speak in the control room. The tournament asked for a video recording"

"So there is a recording of what took place? Can you pull a video for us?"

"Yes we can burn you a copy"

"Thanks we will need that. How long will it take?" Esposito responds

"I can have it for you within the hour. I will leave it at the concierge desk for you"

"We will pick it up from you later. Thank you" Beckett comments

The four of them are walking back out to the pre function area of the ballroom when they hear the voice of the bomb disposal unit captain Mahoney. He is approaching along with Evelyn Karpowski

"Excuse me but if you have a moment I would like to give you an update"

"Yes, Captain Mahoney, what do you have?"

"The device is not extremely sophisticated. It contained a battery of course, but it appears to have been triggered by a simple set of reed switches"

"Reed switches?" Ryan questions "What is a reed switch?"

"A reed switch is a pair of metal contacts inside a glass tube. When a magnet is brought near the tube, the two metal contacts come together and the switch turns on. In this case setting off the explosive"

"So this was not a device with remote controls or timers?" Beckett asks

"No. We found no evidence of any real electronics. No timers or other controls. All the parts were basically the same parts found in a home security system" Mahoney answers.

"You mean they could just go down to the neighborhood home center and buy the parts?" Esposito looks shocked

"Pretty much" Mahoney responds "Of course except for the explosive. It was C4 so whoever did this had resources to get that and the detonators"

"Well thank you for that repost Captain, but we will be looking into that now" is said by a voice from the recent past

The group of NYPD officers is startled by the voice of Homeland Security agent Mark Fallon as he steps up to the group

"Agent Fallon! Missed us already?" Castle comments

"Mr. Castle this is not a joking matter. We believe that this is a terrorist act and we will be taking over the investigation from here on out"

Beckett is obviously irritated by the appearance of the Feds again working their way into her case "Agent Fallon, as far as we know right now, this is a simple murder investigation with local jurisdiction. We have no reason to believe that there are international interests involved"

"Detective Beckett, you are not privy to the intelligence I have and it says differently. That is all I am at liberty to say right now"

"Well what can you say Right Now?" Beckett asks in a firm manor.

"I can tell you that we have credible information that one of your players was a target of an assassination plot, but I can give you nothing else. I have some FBI support coming in and I want all your evidence turned over to them as soon as they arrive".

"But Agent Fallon, we have already begun our investigation and…" Beckett is cut off in her response

"Detective, I appreciate your offer and I do appreciate your help recently but this one is completely our jurisdiction and I appreciate you co operation inn letting us do our jobs. So please go back to your station and we will have agents there to de brief you later"

Fallon points toward the exit doors where several people were already entering wearing FBI vests

Out on the street the detectives are having a heated conversation Esposito is the most animated

"How dare them. We were here first and we have no reason to think that this was an international assassination plot"

Then Ryan continues "Then they want to get all up in our business like they know what they are doing and we don't. I mean look what happened a couple of weeks ago. Fallon was sure about the dirty bomb being blamed on foreign terrorists when you and Castle were sure it was home grown, and you were right." Ryan comments while looking at Kate. Then he turns his head realizing that Castle has disappeared

"Where's Castle?" Ryan asks

"I'm right here" Rick responds as he is walking up to the team "Let's go. I have the video"

While the group were talking to homeland security, Castle had gone to the desk and retrieved the DVD video that had been made for them before Fallon even knew about it

"Castle, Fallon will have your hide when he finds out" Kate comments

"Who's going tell him? You?"

Kate grins back at Rick then turns to the rest of the group "Lets go to the station and make a copy before they know we have this"

They each get into their cruisers and head back to the 12th


	21. Where There's a Will

The team has arrived back at the 12th and starts looking at what information they have been able to keep, at least temporarily.

Captain Mahoney is briefing the team with additional information in the conference room

"The only difference is the magnetic contacts used to trip the bomb and a set used in alarms is these are special. The reed switch and the magnets were matched together"

"Matched? How is a magnet matched?" Esposito asks

"It's called a Balanced Contact. The magnet and contact are sold as a pair. One magnet will not trigger the switch it is not matched to. These are normally used in high security applications like government and high risk buildings like an Art Gallery or a bank".

"So just any magnet will not work only a specific one?" Ryan comments

"Exactly and you will not find these in any hardware store. They are very specialized" Mahoney explains

"So we need to check with specialty alarm supply houses and companies? The type that do government contracts?" Beckett states to the group

"Exactly" Mahoney responds

"Then Fallon may not be far off. This could be a terrorist who would have access to these type switches?" Ryan asks

"That is true, but a terrorist probably would not have access to the stage and the chess board" Rick responds

"So how did they trigger the system using this switch?" Esposito questions

"It looks like there were magnets located in the base of certain chess pieces. When the piece was placed on the board over specific squares, it closed the contact and triggered the blast."

"WOW" Castle responds. "How did it not go off before tonight? I mean there have been several games played before this one. It would have tripped during any one of the games"

Captain Mahoney responds to Rick "We are trying to determine the answer to that question ourselves right now. We do think the magnets and their matched switches were specifically placed under certain squares to that the chess piece had to be on a specific square therefore completing the circuit. We have looked for a master on off switch. Something that allows the system to either function or not. But all we have recovered are the remains of three switches and most of the chess pieces that were thrown all over the room when it blew"

"But as soon as Fallon gets here he will take all the evidence away so we better get all the information we can before he gets here and empties out files" Beckett comments

Castle looks around the bull pin "I have an idea. Let me take the video and the evidence to my loft. They probably don't know who has the evidence and I can start looking .If you all tell the feds it is lost, they will probably believe it"

"Good idea Castle" Beckett comments. "But you need to go quickly before they get here"

Castle takes a box, files it with what they have and heads to the elevator.

Mahoney is confused "Is the evidence safe with him? I mean what if he looses it?"

"He won't" Ryan responds "We can go to his place later and do our work"

"The team is back at their desk reviewing the electronic files when the ding of the elevator signals the arrival of the FBI. The detective team is a little taken back to see who is in the group.

Agent Will Sorenson

"Hello Kate" Sorenson begins the conversation

"OH! Hello Will. What are you doing here?"

"I am currently assigned to the counter terrorism task force. I have come here to get the evidence collected at the hotel on the chess tournament bombing"

"We are waiting for it to arrive. We figured that you already had it in your possession" Beckett is a little uncomfortable having to be around a former love interest right now

"No. The last time we saw it, your CSU team was loading it into the van to bring down here"

"We were told the van was held up and your people took the evidence before it left." Ryan comments as he walks away toward where Esposito has moved

"Just last month. Listen Kate, that little trick of yours is not going to work today. Where is the evidence?"

"Will. You are welcome to search the entire station from basement to roof if you wish, but I will assure you that there is no physical evidence here" Beckett responds with a firmness in her voice

The FBI agent has toned down his voice a little "Very well. I guess that I will have to look elsewhere then"

He seems to be thinking as he is glancing around the bull pin "How is everything here Kate? You are looking really good. In fact you seem happier than the last time I saw you. Is everything in life going your way now?"

"Yes, Will. I am doing extremely well as a mater of fact" Kate responds while she is actually thinking about how her relationship with Castle is progressing

The FBI agent is still surveying the room "I don't see the writer anywhere. Has he finally moved on to a new victim? I know you seemed very put out over his antics the last time we talked"

Not wanting to get into a discussion with the agent concerning Castle right now, Beckett responds "I need to focus on this case. So are you going to let us investigate or are you going to do your usual and get in the way?"

"The NYPD needs to let the FBI and Homeland Security do their jobs. What I need right now is the evidence you picked up. Where can I find it?"

"I don't know Agent Sorenson. I will find out and let you know. Now if you don't mind. I have other cases to deal with" Then Beckett returns her attention to the case on her desk

"Very Well, Kate. I'll call you later"

Agent Sorenson stands up and walks toward the elevator where he sees detectives Ryan and Esposito deep in conversation

"Detectives. I need my evidence. Do you two know where it is right now?"

The two men look toward one another then Esposito responds "No, at this very moment I could not tell you. But if I find out, I will let you know" Then he turns to leave

"Oh one more thing" Will begins "does Kate have a boyfriend right now? Is she seeing someone?"

Since neither of the two detectives have been made aware of her relationship with Castle Ryan answers "No actually she just broke up with this doctor she was seeing. So I guess the answer is no. Not right now"

Sorenson smiles then tells the guys thanks and he steps into the elevator

* * *

Richard Castle has arrived back at his aloft and taken the evidence boxes into his study. He removes the chess pieces out of the box. Each chess piece is bagged and identified with an individual number with tracking location so that they can determine where it was found and the related photographs. He examines each piece carefully.

Remembering that there was a statement made about the queen being looked at by one of the players, he locates the two queens and finds something not right about one of them. He then goes to his jacket and takes the DVD out and places it into his player. There were four cameras being used so he has different viewing angles to use as reference/ He sees that each camera has a recording.

The starts the video playback then sits down at his desk to view it carefully. The time code on the image gives him a point of reference to examine the events from the beginning of the match until the moment of the explosion.

After an extend period of time, he decides to put all four recordings on his computer then links the four by the time code. He can now play all four in a split screen environment.

* * *

Beckett is sitting at her desk just waiting for five o'clock to come around so she can leave. She plans to head directly to the loft for a couple of reasons. One to check on how Rick is doing in his evidence investigation. And two, just to be with him.

As the clock approaches five, Kate gets up and walks into the captain's office and closes the door

"Sir, can we talk for a minute?" Beckett says to Roy Montgomery

"Of course detective"

"I need you to be aware of something that might affect my job here." Kate is worried that now her and Castle have FINALLY become a couple, this might cause the captain to have to separate them

"What is it Kate? Are you worried that the FBI will figure out that Castle has the evidence at his place and you are all planning on meeting him tonight and go over it?"

"SIR?" Beckett was not aware of the captain's ability to read the team like an open book

"No sir, actually that was my second concern"

"Second? What could possibility be more troublesome that the evidence?" Roy questions

"Sir, Rick and I have started…uh…we…I…" She is totally at a loss for words to use to describe what is happening

"Kate, if you are trying to tell me that you two have become a couple. I can only say. It's about time you two got your heads out of you back sides and did something about it"

"You knew?"

"Kate! Everyone knew you two were meant for each other. Anyway. Did you think that everyone considered his books were just fiction? We all saw the wishful thinking he had. Dedicating that book to you was just the beginning. All I have to say is congratulations"

"Thank you captain. But isn't this a violation of some rule about co workers dating?"

"If he were another cop, yes. But he is not on the books. Officially that is. So as long as you two keep it out of the station, we are good. OK?"

"Thank you sir. Now I am taking off to see how he's doing with the case"

"Let me know detective what you find. Knowing how you two work I am sure if this is a simple murder you will figure it out, but, Detective Beckett. If it is an act of terrorism. Get the evidence back here so we can give it to the Feds. Understood?"

"Yes sir" Beckett responds as she rushes out of the office.

She grabs her bag and almost runs to the elevator. She punches the button for the basement and she is almost trying to force the cab to move faster

She actually feels it in her skin. That tingle you get when you are cold, or nervous, or just excited about something. She steps to his loft door and knocks. After an extended period of time she knocks again. This time she hears someone approaching the other side of the door, but when it opens she is face to face not with Castle but with Martha

"Hello Katherine. So glad you are here. Please come in. Richard is in his study" Martha is delivering her lines with every bit of flare as if she were trying out for a Tony

"Thank you Martha" Beckett responds as she begins to move toward the home office

"Katherine!" Martha comments suddenly

Beckett stops in her tracks not feeling very confident about what the red head might have on her mind

"I am so glad the drama is over. Welcome to our family, darling. And don't forget you still have a key that you can use anytime you want. You of all people do not have to knock"

Kate is a little taken back by the acceptance of this man's mother. Kate truly had a fear that the rejections that took place over the last three years might become a stumbling block between her and being able to come into a real relationship with this man and his family.

"Thank you Martha. You don't know how much you saying that means to me"

Martha Rogers gives Kate an accepting smile as she turns to go back to her wine glass on the kitchen counter

Inside the study, Rick is watching the video. He has put headphones on to be able to hear any dialog that might be happening. This is why he did not hear the door when Kate knocked.

Beckett walks up behind Castle and places her arms down across his chest. She leans down and puts her face beside his and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

Castle opens his eyes and turns to see his lady love has arrived. "Hey"

"Hey yourself. You find anything?" Kate asks

"Not yet, but I think there is something wrong"

"How's that?" Kate questions

"An odd thing I found it that just before the bomb went off two people who were seated on the front row near the stage got up and moved away. Almost together. One man and one woman. I could see the woman exit the room on another camera"

"If we find out who these two are, we can ask them why they left" Kate comments.

Just then her cell phone rings. She takes it out of her purse and answers

"Beckett" after a moment's pause "Oh hello Will…Not this is not a bad time…What can I do for you?"

Castle hearing the name Will causes him to stop what he is doing and devotes his attention to the conversation going on right next to him

She listens for a little longer

"Would I have diner with you?" Kate looks at Castle who has just put on a jealous face


	22. Almost Caught

The last thing that Richard Castle was expecting was for Beckett to get a phone call from Kate's former boyfriend. Rick can feel the green eyed monster building up inside of him as he listens to the conversation between Kate and Will. Rick knows that Kate is his now and that Will is old news, but he wonders why is the FBI Agent calling her right now? What is his motive?

"Will, I appreciate the offer, but I have to tell you that I am not interested in trying to re kindle anything between us."

Beckett listens for a moment while the FBI agent argues his case then she comments,"Just case related you say? Why are you suddenly willing to share case information with me?"

Then Kate looks to Rick and her eyes are asking what he thinks about this phone call

"Will we can have lunch tomorrow at Remy's if you want to talk about the case, but that's all"

"No Will"

"I said lunch only!"

"No Will, I will not meet you anywhere else"

"It is none of your business, Will"

"What if I am seeing someone?"

"With that comment Kate looks over to a smiling Castle

"I don't care what the boys told you. I don't let them in on my private life. That's why it's called private"

"OK tomorrow at Remy's at11:30"

"I will try to have the evidence for you by then, ok?"

"Goodbye Will"

Castle really hates to be listening to one side of a conversation. Especially when it has to do with his girlfriend talking to her ex boyfriend. Castle has stood up from his desk and has turned around to face Kate. He wants to make sure she knows he is with her in this endeavor. He places his arms around her and pulls her in tight for a kiss. He has decided that after he kisses her he will try to gather up the courage and tell her to her face that he loves her

Kate feels warm and tingly in Castle's arms. She gladly lets him close the gap between them and as they are kissing, she decides that she will try to gather the courage to tell Rick that she thinks she is falling in love with him

When…

They hear Martha talking to someone just outside the door and all they can hear is her say "They are both in the study"

The duo quickly separate. This has made them both feel like high school kids caught by her dad on the couch in the living room making out.

"Hey guys" Kate almost stumbles on her words as the two detectives pass the threshold of the doorway

The two junior detectives are looking at this pair with suspicion

"Hey Castle, have you found out anything?" Esposito asks while he is glancing back and forth between Kate and Rick like he is aware that something is going on between them

"Uh…Actually I do have a couple of things. First, three of the chess pieces did have magnets under them in the base. The two white knights and the white queen. Additionally on the video I noticed the quick departure of two individuals just before the blast. It looks very much like they knew something was going to happen."

"Have you identified either of the two? I mean were they just observers or members of the teams?" Ryan adds to the questioning

"We need to get screen shots for facial recognition. But we will have to do that tomorrow" Kate responds

Then she continues "I got a call just a few minutes ago from Will Sorenson wanting to take me to dinner and he said to just talk about the case"

"Oh I am sure it has nothing to do with the case" Esposito states

"Why do you say that Javi?"

"Because just before he left the station, he was asking if you were dating anyone"

"And what did you tell him?" Kate looks panicked

"We told him that you just broke up with Josh and as far as we knew you haven't started seeing anyone yet" Ryan adds

Kate seems a little put out but nothing to compare to the jealousy evident in Castle's face

"Guys, I didn't…I don't need…I am fine right now. So please don't give Will any ideas.. Great! Now I'm stuck with lunch tomorrow with him" Kate responds

"So! You are going to have lunch with your OLD boyfriend, huh?" Castle uses the moment to dig it in just a little bit

Kate glares back at Castle and she sees a twinkle in his eyes like he is just giving her a hard time. But maybe just to keep their secret just a little longer

"Kate. You told him it would be just case related, right?" Castle comments

"That's what I said"

"OK we all four go together then. If he wants case related, we give him all of us. We can also return the evidence he is wanting since I have copies of the video and the photos that were taken. Let him think whatever he wants to think and the three of us will build a Castle wall to protect you from the big bad wolf"

Kate gives Castle a little hidden smile knowing exactly what he has in mind

"OK sounds good to me. Tomorrow, we will all meet at Remy's at eleven for lunch. Let's see how Will reacts then

All right then let's pack up the evidence so we can take it back to the station tomorrow. And if anyone is hungry, I am buying supper tonight" Castle comments "Were would you like to go?"

The team decides on Mexican. They head over to as new place called 'Caliente'. It advertise that it is authentic Mexican food. With a name that means translates to 'HOT'. They should have known better

All the way through the meal, Rick and Kate are playing under the table. It is a miracle that the other two detectives were missing the action. Rick would run his hand up and down Beckett's thigh. More than once she had to grab his wrist and stop the action or it was going to be completely evident what these two were doing to each other because she was not going to be able to stop herself

Then in retaliation, she took her boots off and was sliding her bare foot up and down his leg moving to a place that had Rick in a very embarrassing position. If had to get up fast, it would be evident that something was going on under the fancy linens of their table

After they all had their fill of some very tasty and very spicy south of the border cuisine, they all four felt like they had to walk back to Castle's loft.

When they arrived outside his building the two male detectives decided to call it a night. Ryan and Esposito asked Beckett if she needed a ride. She told them no, that she was in her cruiser but she would see them tomorrow.

Castle and Beckett watch as the taillights from Ryan's car disappeared into the night.

Rick turned to Kate. He takes her fingers into his own

"Are you going to get in that cruiser and leave?" Pointing to her car "Or…would you prefer to stay here?"

"Three weeks ago that answer would be a simple. NO! I'm going home" Kate wraps herself around Castle "The answer now is a simple. YES"


	23. Busted

The team is in the conference room verifying that all the evidence is in the boxes so when they see Agent Sorenson and turn over the boxes they are complete. They are going over each item in the evidence log so he will not be able to complain that they are holding anything back.

"Hey Beckett. Why don't we hang back at lunch then walk in carrying the boxes and surprise Sorenson. This way he has to deal with the evidence" Esposito suggests

"And he will have to leave you alone" Castle states with a smile

"OK guys but better yet, come in together without the boxes and sit down with us and start up the story that the evidence is here at the station ready for Sorenson to pick up"

"Then we go ahead and order our lunch and stay until time to leave" Ryan continues

"Perfect" Rick says obviously happy that the guys are dreaming up how to handle Will and not him.

As 11:00 am approaches, Kate gets her bag and stands to leave.

"Let me walk you out" Castle comments as he joins her.

Waiting for the elevator, Kate whispers to Rick "Don't worry, Castle. He means nothing to me anymore. But you do"

Castle never takes his eyes off the door "I know"

The door open and they both step into the elevator. When the door closes Castle turns to Kate, leans down and gives her a very gentle kiss "I just wanted to make sure you remember that"

She gets a slight blush on her cheek. When the doors open to the lowest level, they step out into the garage. She turns back around "See you in 30"

Castle watches her until she pulls out the overhead door. He goes back to the elevator and return to the homicide floor. Once back on the 4th floor he heads directly to the conference room where Ryan and Esposito are closing the boxes and placing evidence tape over the lids.

"Guys, are we ready to do this?" Rick asks

"We are. But are you? Esposito asks with a bit of sarcasm in his voice

"What do you mean, Javi?"

"You know exactly what I mean. Beckett is going out on a date with her old boyfriend. A boyfriend who is more interested in re connecting with Kate than getting the evidence"

"I don't think this is a date, guys" Castle quickly answers

"Oh you don't? He thinks that is exactly what he is getting, Castle" Ryan comments

"Look bro, we both know how you really feel about Kate and how she has never opened up to you. Has not accepted your advances" Esposito continues

We also know that is why you left a few weeks ago. You gave up on her" Ryan comments

"So look Castle. We are your friends. We want to help you anyway we can. We wanted to put the two of you together if we could have. But this lunch date has got to be hard on you. So I want to suggest you hang back and Ryan and I will go there and stay with them and you can wait here. That way you don't have to see her with Sorenson"

"Guys. That's really nice of you to offer, but I think that I can handle it"

Ryan interrupts "Castle, we saw the hurt on you face that Friday you left. You were hurt when Kate was with Josh. We don't want to see you feeling that way, so just wait here and we will return together"

"I appreciate that, but I promise it will be just fine" Rick responds then turns away so these two cannot see the funny smile he has on his face. He has developed a plan of his own.

* * *

Kate has selected a larger table at Remy's knowing there will be more than just the two of them. The waitress comes by and asks her what she wants for lunch. She places her order and sits back waiting for the FBI agent to arrive. Beckett had arrived shortly before the 11:30 scheduled time so it is only a few minutes before Will shows up

"Hay Kate. You're early" he states

"Yeah, we finished cataloging the evidence that was collected. We found out it was scattered between several different people. That's why we couldn't find it yesterday. But it is all at the station, in the conference room. When I left the boys were boxing it to get it ready to go for you. You can come by and pick it up after lunch"

"Great, Kate. So how have you been? We haven't talked in a couple of years."

"I am doing extremely well thank you. How about yourself?"

"I can't complain. I hear that you have been dating a doctor. A heart surgeon I understand"

"Well not anymore. We broke up several weeks ago"

"I'm sorry, Kate. That must have been hard. I hope you are over the breakup."

"No, Will, I broke up with him, not the other way around. He was not what I needed right now."

The FBI agent who has been trained in observation of witnesses and suspects notices that Kate does not seem bothered by the recent breakup. "So, what was it he wasn't doing that you needed?"

Beckett looks toward the door hoping to see her boys enter soon to get her away from Sorenson's interrogation

"Look Will, we are supposed to be here to share evidence. What do you have to give me?"

"Kate, listen. I really just wanted to see you and talk to you. I was hoping that we might be able to…"

And before he can finish his statement Detectives Ryan and Esposito and one extra special guy walk up to the table

"Hey you two. We thought you might be here" Ryan opens the conversation

"What's for lunch?" Esposito continues

Beckett is so relieved to see her partners arrive, but she is more pleased to see her extra special guy right behind them.

Hey guys, what are you doing here?" Beckett tries to act surprised when the arrival of her partners

"We finished cataloging the evidence and decided to have some lunch. Do you mind if we join you?" Castle asks

"Yes actually!" Will answers

"Of course not. please sit" Beckett answers

It is painfully obvious to Sorenson that his planned 'DATE' just got interrupted

"So you finished the cataloging of the evidence. I understand that it was scattered around?" The FBI agent asks trying to trip someone up in their story

"Yeah, it was "Ryan responds

Agent Sorenson is sitting at the table trying to find a way to politely ask the three men to leave so he can continue his attempt at privacy.

Beckett tells the group that she needs to be excused for a minute and she stands up and walks toward the hallway en route to the rest rooms. The four men continue their conversations while she is away.

After about two minutes Castle stands and tells the group he will be right back. Once in the corridor to the rest rooms, he pauses outside the ladies room door and waits for Kate

A minute later she exits into the hall way to only be captured by Rick. She smiles at him as he reaches around her waist and like some high school boy starts making out with her in the hall. She pulls back and looks to his face.

"What are you doing Castle?"

"I am just making sure you remember me"

"Funny big guy. But I better get back or they will start wondering what we are doing"

"That's OK too" Castle responds. That comment earns him a gentle poke

Once back to the table the five of them finish the meal and leave. Rick chooses to ride back with Beckett. Much to her pleasure. Once they get in the car, Rick asks her if Sorenson offered up any information on the case. Kate ducks her head a little and says no, that he really was just trying to use this to reconnect with her. She almost regrets answering him when she sees Castle's face sink as if he is hurt.

They arrive at the station and pull into the garage. Kate parks her cruiser and the pair get on the elevator for the ride to the 4th floor. Once the door closes, Kate turns to Castle, puts her arms around his neck "You started something earlier at the café now we need to figure out how to finish it" and starts in on his mouth like there is no tomorrow.

She has put Rick into a position that he does not want to stop

Even the ding of the doors sliding open does not break these two from their current embrace

Ryan and Esposito are standing just outside the elevator doors holding the evidence boxes just waiting for the arrival of the elevator when they are greeted by an obvious show of affection that neither of these two men were expecting to see

"Well, well! Will you look at this "Ryan starts up as soon as he doors finish opening

Castle and Beckett jump when their little moment of bliss is broken by two very surprised friends. Kate turns away to hide her red cheeks and Castle snaps upright and desperately tries to say something. Anything

"Hey guys, we were…uh…I…uh…we… I was looking at…about…"

"Looking at something in Beckett's eye?" Esposito comments with a touch of glee in his voice

"Guys you don't understand…"Kate tries to say something

Ryan picks up right behind Esposito "OH we understand all right"

Castle tries to deflect these two master detectives "When Alexis got hurt, Kate flew out to LA and took care of her until I could get to the hospital and I really wanted to thank her. Then Paula has arranged the hotel and we just…" And Castle is obviously rambling trying to say something, anything to stop the stares. But he is only digging the hole deeper and deeper

"Listen you two" Javi starts up "We have all been waiting for this day. No one at this precinct or even downtown could figure out why you two were taking so long. Now that this drama is over can we can get back to solving cases instead of worrying about mom and dad breaking up?"

"Mom and Dad?" Castle questions

"Don't ask" Ryan answers

Kate steps back up to Rick's side and puts her arm around him again "OK guys. Some ground rules. One we have to keep this professional. Rick and I will not be doing this" pointing to themselves "at work…Again"

Then she looks up at Castle's smiling face "away from work will be different"

Castle continues "Number two. Right now we don't need media attention. Paula is working on an announcement to the paper that Black Pawn will release when they think the time is right. OK?"

Kevin and Javi look at each other, smile and then do a fist bump

What these two detectives do not see is that Will Sorenson is standing behind them and has just witnessed the entire demonstration


	24. The Cave

**You readers and reviewers are the best. This has been my most read and reviewed story but I can't understand why**  
**So I want to show you how much I appreciate you by throwing you a curve ball**

* * *

Saturday afternoon at the Old Haunt, Richard Castle is at his desk in his basement office adding up the receipts from the last week. This is one task he really doesn't mind doing. Seeing that his little investment has steadily been making money proves to him that he is somewhat of a good businessman outside of the books.

As he is about to finish running up his totals he hears the upstairs door open and close. This sound is followed by the distinct sound of boot heels clicking on wood steps.

His heart beats just a little faster knowing that the love of his life that, that one woman he was willing to wait for and has waited for, for so very long is in fact just a few feet away.

As he looks toward the opening, he watches the shadow of Kate Beckett cross the threshold to his office door. He immediately stands and walks the short distance to greet her.

"Hey beautiful" Castle says as he steps up to his new girlfriend

"Hey yourself. Are you about finished. I am starving"

Then Kate reaches out to Rick's lapels and grabs them with both hands, pulls him in close to her face with a voice sounding exactly like Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors says "Feed ME!" Adding a giggle in her voice.

"Are we talking about actual food or is there something else you are craving?" Rick asks

"Food right now. Later will be something else" Kate says in response with her unbelievable smile

Before they got together, he never saw any part of Beckett other than the hard nosed cop and homicide investigator. The police officer that was not interested in Castle's little antics. His jokes or especially his crazy theories. He never dreamed that this side of Beckett even existed. He never, ever heard Kate giggle. At least not like she does now. He never in his life imagined her being the tiger that has been unlocked from inside her. Or more accurately the tiger that she has become when they are alone. But sometimes she can still be just a coy kitten.

Either way he is enjoying being with each and every lovely creature she becomes when they are alone together. Which ever of her personas shows up, he likes it!

"Let me finish adding up this weeks till and we can go. Where would you like to try tonight?" Castle asks while he is still shuffling the papers on his desk

"I have been wanting to try that new place in SOHO called "The Cave. They say it really neat inside. Looks like a spelunkers delight. Hidden alcoves, there are even stalagmites hanging from the ceiling."

"Sounds perfect" Castle responds "Have the boys got anywhere with the bombing? I saw the news conference where Sorenson and Fallon told the press they were sure it was a radical extreme group that claimed they killed the Russian player in retaliation for some imaginary crime against their country."

"That is their story, but like you, I don't think it is international terrorism. Right now we have hit a dead end on locating any new information" Kate tells Rick

Then after a moment of silence from Castle she continues "We did identify the woman who left the match. It was the wife of the British player. She said she got a phone call and went outside to answer the call. But the man who left is still unidentified"

Castle only mumbles an acknowledgement of her information and he has put on a look of questioning on his face while he is going over Tuesday's register totals

"What's that look for?" Kate asks

"The receipts from Tuesday are more than double the normal sales. I need to make sure this is right"

Castle reaches over to the office telephone and calls up to the bar

"Todd, can you come down to my office for a minute?"

Kate has sat down on the couch in the office as they are waiting for the bar manager to come down

"Do you think something is wrong Castle?" Kate asks because of the unusual look on Rick's face

"The register tape shows way more than double the normal sales for that night. We have never had sales this high on a week night. So I need to see if something messed up or what?"

The manager Todd walks into the office "Hey boss" then he sees Beckett sitting on the sofa "Detective Beckett"

"Todd, Tuesday's sales are way above normal. Did something happen unusual that night?"

"As a matter of fact it did. A semi regular customer came in waving a wad of cash and bought several rounds for the house. The night was fairly busy so it was a lot of drinks. I asked him what he was celebrating and he just said he was paid to do a very special job and he just wanted to have a few of his friends celebrate with him"

"Did he say what kind of a job? Kate has a questioning look on her face

Todd turns toward the detective "No, but I think this guy is a construction worker or something though"

"So why would a construction worker be paid a large amount of CASH. They are usually paid by check so the union can verify they are paid correctly" Rick comments

Beckett looks over to Rick then turns back to Todd and asks "Do you know his name?

"Billy, Bobby. Something like that"

"Do you know what he does? Exactly?"

"No, but one of the other regulars knows him I think. Joey is the other man's name. They drink together sometimes"

"You think they may be in tonight? Beckett asks

"Why are you wondering, Kate"

"Just the cop in me. You see someone suddenly throwing a big buddle of cash around, it usually involves drugs, protection or prostitution"

"We will come back after we eat and see if we can talk to either of these men. Todd, don't say anything to them but text me if either one shows up tonight. Kate and I are going to diner and will be back later"

"You got it boss. You two have fun and I'll let you know it they show up" Todd responds

Rick finished the books and puts the legers into the wall safe, grabs his coat, then grabs his girl and the two walk out into the evening traffic. It is fairly early on a Saturday night and they hail a cab get in. The driver expertly slides into traffic toward their destination.

While riding, Rick is watching Kate. She seems to have the wheels in her head spinning

"What are you thinking?"

"Just how much crime goes on in this city that is never discovered? Big crimes, little crimes and everything in between. This deal with the guy buying drinks. If he didn't brag about making all this money, no one would even know that he did something illegal"

"How do you know it's illegal?"

"First off, legal activity is usually paid by check or bank transfer, not by cash. I have found that if they have done something illegal they brag about it more, not less. Legal stuff is usually done quietly. Not bragging. You don't go waving your legal money making. Just something I have learned over the years"

"Makes sense" Rick says

The taxi pulls up to the resturaunt and the pair get out and walk into the door. At the hostess stand they are greeted by an attractive young woman dressed in leopard skin short dress. She is supposed to be a cave woman.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes we would like a table for two" Castle tells the lady

"Do you have reservations?"

"No, we just heard about this place and wanted to try it" Rick answers

"I am very sorry sir, but without reservations the wait may be as long as three hours"

"Oh, I did not know it would be so long" he turns to Kate "you want to go somewhere else?"

"I don't know, Castle. We don't have a lot of time. We can find somewhere else"

When the name Castle was said, a man behind the hostess turns and looks at the couple

"Richard Castle?"

Castle looks behind the hostess to see one of his oldest friends Jeremy Jones

"Jere?" Rick has a big question in his voice "Jeremy Jones, as I live and breathe. How are you? I haven't seen you in what fifteen, twenty years?"

"Closer to twenty. What are you doing here?"

"Kate and I came to try out this new place. Oh pardon my manors, Kate Beckett this is Jeremy Jones. We knew each other in college almost twenty years ago"

"My pleasure. What are you doing here and what are you doing with this beautiful woman on your arm?"

"We heard about this place and decided to try it, but they tell us without reservations, it is a three hour wait so we will have to come back"

"OH no you don't! Just wait a minute and we will have a table for you" The man turns to the hostess desk and looks. He points to something and then tells Rick and Kate to follow him.

Walking thru the place is very entertaining. There are cave paintings showing men hunting their next meal. There are additional images that are obviously meant to be knock offs of characters such as the Flintstones and other imaginary characters. There are also several comic drawings of a caveman holding a club and dragging his woman home by her hair.

Kate stops at one of these drawings and leans into Rick's ear "You even think about doing that and I will shave my head"

Castle laughs about her comment because she knows how much he loves her long hair. When their host stops at a very secluded table he indicates for the couple to be seated. He drops the menu and tells them to enjoy their dinner.

The evening is quite fun as the menu looks like it came from the TV cartoon show. The meals have names such as a Brontosaurus Burger. Raptor egg omelet and Tyrannosaurus Rib basket. The servers are all dressed as cave men and women.

Both Kate and Rick are very pleased with the meal. The food was actually delicious and the place fun. When Castle asks for his check he is told that the owner picked up the tab, but he wants a photo of Castle to put on the wall in front. The couple agrees and soon the hostess is back with a camera. She takes the picture of Kate and Rick, sitting very close together, cheek to cheek. She thanks them and heads back to the front.

Just before they get up, Castle gets a text telling him that the man has arrived at the bar.

When they get ready to leave, Rick places a nice tip on the table. Just because the boss comps the meal does not give the wait staff anything.

The ride back to The Old Haunt is quiet. Both Beckett and Castle are well stuffed And thinking about what they will be doing later.

Once they enter the door to Castle's place, Todd notices them enter. He points out the man sitting at the bar who was freely buying drinks for the entire place the other night.

As Kate walks up to the man, she flashes her badge and identifies herself

"Kate Beckett, NYPD, I need to ask you a few questions"

When someone is approached by law enforcement and has nothing to hide they will gladly answer any question.

However, when the officer shows a badge that person jumps and runs, there is usually a crime involved.

This guy drops from the bar stool and makes a mad dash toward the front door only to be clothes lined by Rick before he can exit the bar

* * *

**This is related. But to What?  
**


	25. Ménage à trois

Bobby Pearson finds himself sitting in the box at the 12th precinct. Just on the other side of the windows is detectives Ryan and Esposito along with their boss Roy Montgomery.

Kate Beckett is looking over the rap sheet for this man wondering how someone who only had two traffic citations for overtime parking and one warning for an illegal left turn was in such a hurry to rush out of The Old Haunt Saturday night

Beckett enters the interrogation room and lays the file on the table before she sits down.

"Bobby Pearson, you have the shortest rap sheet I think have ever seen. Especially for someone who was in such a hurry to leave a bar without settling his tab. Can you tell me why you were trying to leave before you paid your bar bill?"

"I thought you were the IRS or something coming after me for taxes or something. Is that why I'm here? Walking out on a bar tab?"

"It would be if that is all you did. But it seems you were seen last Tuesday flashing a large wad of cash that is out of the norm and I had just wanted to ask you where you got that much money, but instead, you decided to bolt for the door causing the owner of the establishment to stop you from leaving. Can you tell me what that was all about?"

"I…uh…it is not what you think. I didn't do anything. I was just given a nice tip from an

exhibiter at the hotel where I was setting up a display for work"

Hotel? I thought you were a construction worker?"

"I am. I mean I do construction work I build backdrops for exhibit displays or sometimes sets when there is a need for special backdrops"

What hotel were you at, that did you did that special work for?"

"Regents Hotel in midtown"

Beckett is taken back for just a moment "did you say Regents Hotel?"

"Yeah! Why?"

"You work there all the time?"

"No. I am a carpenter and I build backdrops and temporary walls for special events. Conventions and so on. I come out of the union hiring hall. They call us out when they need something built. But I have worked there and most other hotels in town"

"What do you do at the Regents Hotel that caused you to get such a large amount of cash? I know the hotel didn't pay you, right? "

"I was hired to build a giant backdrop for the stage. It was supposed to look like a giant checkerboard. They hung big chess pieces on it, on hooks so they could move them around."

"You got a lot of money for building that backdrop?"

"No I was paid to do a special thing for one of the guys in one of the events"

"What kind of event and what did you do for him?"

"There was some type tournament or something. One of the players told me he is really superstitious and had a special checkerboard he wanted to use and…well the tournament requires them to use the provided board. So he asked me if I would replace the regular board with his special board just before the semi final match. And he gave me ten grand. CASH! So yeah man I did it. Wouldn't you? I mean somebody offers you ten thousand dollars to swap out the board for his good luck board"

"Are you telling me that the chess board was changed out by you just before the finals round began?"

"Yeah! The man said he had the lucky chessboard and he always won when he used it but I had to do it when no one was around to see me, so I did it after I finished the last backdrop. I brought it to the room inside by tool box. I still have the old one in my cabinet. I could trade it back out if I need to, but I already spent the money he gave me"

"Bobby! That was not a good luck chess board. In fact it is anything but a good luck board. Both players and one other person died along with dozens injured when the bomb inside the board .exploded. So Bobby, Why did you do it? Why did you kill these people?

"BOMB? What Bomb? The man told me it was his lucky board. Just ask him. He will tell you that he paid me to trade it out"

Bobby the players were killed by the blast. I can't ask him anything" Beckett tells the suspect "He's Dead!"

"No he is alive, I saw him outside the bar just before I went in on Tuesday. He was with the really pretty woman, they were kind of linked up. You know wrapped around each other and they walking in the front of the Four Seasons hotel like they were heading there for…you know…the evening"

Beckett and Castle look at each other "What did this woman look like? Can you describe her, or both of them?" Castle asks

"Sure, uh she Hot! I mean really good looking. She was probably late twenties, about five foot two, jet black hair, dark complexion, slender build"

Beckett gets a strange look on her face

"Bobby, if I show you a picture do you think you could identify her?" Beckett asks the suspect

"Sure. I mean I don't think I will ever forget her. I can identify her if I saw her again" Bobby responds

"Wait, I will be right back" Beckett stands and rushes out of the interview room. She almost runs over Ryan and Esposito as they exit the viewing room and all three are headed toward their desks and the murder board.

"Beckett, you don't think she is involved, do you?" Esposito asks as the three approach the photos file on Kate's desk.

She grabs the file and as rushes back to the interrogation. "It sure looks that way" Beckett answers

Back inside, Beckett takes a photograph from her file and lays it down in front of Bobby Pearson

"Do you recognize this woman?" She questions

"Yes. That's her" Pearson answers

Beckett takes another photograph from the file and places it in front of her suspect "Do you recognize this man?"

"Yeah! That 's the man who paid me to replace the checker board and the guy I saw earlier tonight with this woman" and he points to the first picture. "He's the man who gave me ten grand to change the boards out. He said it was his good luck board"

Kate looks at her partner and now new boyfriend and she smiles as she turns the photographs to face Castle. He looks down to the table to see the photographs of Margaret Matheson the widow of the English player that was killed and the unknown man who also left just before the bomb blast.

"It was not terrorist bombing! It was just a plain old lover's triangle murder"


	26. Discovery

Three detectives, the captain and their one civilian are sitting around the conference room table. All three are pretty much in shock

"Where did that come from?" Beckett throws the question out to the group

"The FED's are determined that this was a terrorist act and you two stumble onto a lover's triangle" Captain Montgomery responds while looking at Castle and Beckett

"You know that the FBI will be pissed over what you two have done?"

Kate and Rick just smile back

"So, captain, what do we do now?" Beckett continues "The feds have frozen us out of the evidence to tie it all together. We have just what Rick was able to copy before we gave the boxes back to Sorenson

Montgomery looks out the window at the murder board that is still mostly blank "You two seem to have a knack of finding the impossible. Keep digging until we have sufficient evidence for me to take it to the DA for an indictment. Then we will drop the hammer on these two "the Captain points to the photographs on the table

"Captain, we can't let Pearson go. We have to keep him at least as a material witness" Ryan says

"Right. Get him to a safe house until we sort this mess out" Montgomery tells Ryan and Esposito

As they all rise to leave, Castle waits until the three other men have left the room.

"Come back to the loft with me tonight?" Castle says to Beckett

"Rick, I don't know. I mean we have come a long way in a very short period of time, but it's starting to look like I am just moving in with you"

"So, what if you are? Kate I… I care a lot about you and this is special to me. You are so special to me. But if you will just come over tonight, I promise no pressure, just dinner. OK?"

Her response is preceded with a smile. "OK".

"Good" Castle responds

On the trip beck to the loft the two start up their usual theory building trying to figure out a way to prove a case for first degree murder.

Kate starts listing the things that have to fall into place for murder-one charges

"Premeditated. They had to plan ahead"

"We have that" Castle responds "The construction and placement of the board proves it was planned well ahead of time

"We also need motive"

"His wife was having an affair" Rick again answers

"Except, we really don't have her and him together, yet. But I bet we will before we are done" Kate states

Then she continues "The biggest problem I have is that the chess board did not have a remote control detonation. So how did they set off the bomb at a particular time? The switches were in the board and the magnets were in the chess pieces. Anyone could have tripped the bomb if they had placed the right piece on the right square"

"Except Kate, Mahoney said the magnets and switches were matched. The wrong magnet would not trip the wrong switch. It had to be the right magnet and switch. How would they be able to pick that specific set of pieces?" Castle is in a quandary

"And how would you know what square to put the switch?"

The pair arrives back at the loft and they go inside. Once Castle opens the door, he is greeted by not just one, but two red heads.

"Hey, how are my girls? Both of you!"

They find Alexis sitting on the couch with her leg propped up on the table

"Alexis it is great to see you out of the bed and downstairs. How did you get down here?"

"Thanks dad. Grams told me I had to get down here if I ever wanted food again so I had to fend for myself"

"I did not. I helped her on her crèches. She is moving around like a pro on those things. I think she can outrun me now" Martha states

"Very funny, mother"

So I am going to order dinner in for tonight. Kate and I are going to be working on something and I thought this was the easiest way to handle it"

"OH! I know what you two are planning to be working on" Alexis chuckles

"No, that is not what we are doing. We have a lead on the Chess match bombing case and we even have suspects but we need more evidence before going public with this"

"What are you going to do here and not at the station?" Martha asks

"Martha, we have evidence that the wife had her husband killed but we are trying to figure out how she did it without the bomb going off at the wrong time" Kate responds

"Dad, did you say this was at the big international chess tournament?"

"Yes why? Do you know something, Alexis?"

"Tell me what happened." The young red head asks

Beckett responds "The semi-final round between the Russian and the British champions was only a few moves in when the bomb went off. We have the video but I don't want to show it to you, it is really gruesome when the bomb goes off"

"Detective Beckett, I just want to see the chess moves. The ones before the blast. I might see something"

"Kate, I forgot that Alexis joined the chess club last year. She just might be of some help here" Rick answers

"OK Castle, but don't let her see the blast"

"OK, Fine" he responds

Castle goes into his office and retrieves his laptop where he copied the DVD over and brings it into the living room where Alexis is seated on the couch. He starts the playback then watches carefully as the play begins so he is prepared to stop the video just before the bomb goes off.

Alexis is watching intently and then as the British player reaches to the board she starts commenting

"Knight to Queen's Bishop 3"

Then the action on the screen follows her statement. After the Russian player makes his move, Alexis again comments

"Knight to King's Bishop 3"

Again after her statement the player makes the move. Castle and Beckett are looking toward the red head like she is reading a crystal ball.

"Alexis, how do you know what he is going to do?" Beckett asks

"This is a classic defense called Old Indian. The next white move is Queen to Queen 4"

Castle and Beckett watch as the player from Great Britton as he picks up the Queen, and then he momentarily looks at the base as it was described to them. He had felt the weight of the magnet and thought the piece felt unusual.

Before the video shows the piece being placed exactly where Alexis foretold it, Castle stops the playback.

Rick looks at Kate. "Now we know. The wife knew her husband and what moves he would make. She had the board wired for this defensive play"

Beckett smiles back at her guy "That is why she got up just as he moved the second knight. She was sure he would move the queen next"

"And her lover was the man who got up and left at the same time"

"We need to find out who that man is. I know. Contact the Four Seasons and find out if she checked in with anyone else. I will get a warrant tomorrow and get the information"

"I have a better idea" Rick says as he picks up his cell phone and makes a call

"What are you doing, Rick?"

"I know people" He holds his hand up indicating silence "Philippe, its Rick Castle/ How are you? Great. Can you do me a favor...?"

Castle steps away from Beckett so she doesn't hear him pull information form his friend, the hotel manager

Castle comes back beside the women. The man's name is Kenneth Taylor. He is also from England. He is staying at the hotel along with the widow. Philippe confirmed that on the night in question, Taylor used his key card to get in his room, but she did not. The Philippe did confirm that it was known that these two were together. And by together they mean…"

Kate stands up and grabs Rick by the neck "I know what they mean by together. Sort of like we are together? You did it Rick!"

"No! WE did it"

"I'll call Montgomery and tell him so we can get an official warrant and bring these two in"

* * *

**The FBI Building in New York**

* * *

Special Agent in Charge of the New York FBI field office, Ronnie Peters comes flying out his office like a man on fire.

"Sorenson, Fallon follow me!"

The three men walk toward the conference room. The television on the wall in already turned on and there appears to be a news conference beginning. Peters turns the volume up so they can hear the report

The banner on the bottom of the screen is stating "BREAKING NEWS…NYPD make arrests in Chess Tournament bombing…"

The anchor in the studio is talking while the camera is on a podium. "we are waiting for Captain Roy Montgomery with the 12th homicide squad to come to the podium. We are being told that there has been a break in the bombing case at the Regents Hotel…Now we see the captain approaching the microphone"

Roy Montgomery stands tall as he begins speaking

"Late last night detectives from the 12th Precinct Homicide Division executed arrest and search warrants relating to the deaths of three men at the Regents Hotel last week during the international Chess Tournament. I want to thank my detectives for the excellent police work and investigative skills they presented in solving this very unusual crime. I want to bring to the podium the lead detective, Kate Beckett. She was instrumental in breaking this case"

As Montgomery steps aside he motions for Kate "Detective"

"Thank you Captain" she begins "The suspects are the wife of the British player, Margaret Matheson and her longtime lover Kenneth Taylor. As of this moment, we cannot give out any details but I will tell you that we have irrefutable evidence linking these two to the crime"

The reporters start a barrage of questions the moment Beckett takes a breath

"The FBI told us that this was a terrorist bombing"

"That was the plan all along. The suspects tried to make this look like an attack against a totally innocent victim in the Russian player. But I can assure you that we have all the proof necessary and the DA is impaneling a Grand Jury as we speak to being indictments of first degree murder against these two individuals."

"Why was the NYPD able to break this case when the Feds could not?" comes a question from the 'National News' reporter

"We were not wearing blinders in our investigation. We were looking for evidence and not trying to prove a pre-decided theory"

She points to the reporter from the Ledger "Detective Beckett, a little side question. I see Mr. Richard Castle standing behind you. There is a very cozy photograph of the two of you in the lobby of The Cave Restaurant. Is it true that you two are a couple now and you have taken the mystery writer off the market?"

Kate was not prepared to answer that question. She turns to the group behind her that includes Rick

Roy Montgomery quickly returns to the microphone "That's all the questions for today. Thank you for coming"

The team leaves the podium. Rick grabs Kate who is now a little shaken

"Kate are you OK?" Castle asks as they get clear of the reporters

"No! Not really. I was not expecting my personal life to come under question"

"I am so sorry that this happened. I should have thought about it. Let's go back in the station and talk. OK?"

She does not answer only shakes her head in agreement

Once the team return to their desks where they feel safe from the prying eyes of the media they are interrupted by two very angry federal employees. Agents Sorenson and Fallon arrive together and are making a direct run at the detectives but Roy Montgomery steps in before these two can say anything

"I assume you two are here to congratulate my team?"

"No we want to question them about why they were withholding evidence" Sorenson responds

"No evidence was withheld. My team only uncovered the plot yesterday and had to act quickly to make their arrests. I am sorry that you were unable to make the same connections but I suggest that next time you have a case you follow the leads and not the other way around"

The two men are obviously not happy

"Now if you want to give them your congratulations, I am sure they will be happy to hear it from you. Otherwise, I think we're done here"

Montgomery walks back to his office and closes his door and watches the two federal agents return to the elevator and leave the station

* * *

**One Final Chapter and I will Close This one.**


	27. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

* * *

Richard Castle and his new love Katherine Beckett have just spent the better part of a Saturday at the mercy of a throng of his fans.

This book signing is very different from any that Castle has been a part of before. This time he brought Nikki with him and everyone wanted to meet her. At first Kate sat behind Rick but as the early afternoon became the late afternoon they found themselves surrounded by loyal readers who were more than happy to meet the inspiration for Detective Heat

As they wound down the signing, Paula arrived and rushed the two of them out the door so she could get them into a limo and off to their hotel for a quiet evening. The next morning, bright and early they will be on the plane for the trip back to Miami so they could retrieve Castle's car from the long term parking lot at Miami International Airport

Miami International airport is three things. Hot, humid, and busy. Fortunately for Rick and Kate they don't have to be outside of the air conditioning for very long. It will not take them but a very few minutes to gather their bags and take a shuttle over to the long term parking to retrieve Castle's car. The phrase long term that fits perfectly in this situation Castle parked his car there over three weeks ago when he flew to LA for Alexia then he went back to New York. After a few weeks of chasing suspects and embarrassing the FBI over their crime solving inabilities these two went to Houston for the book signing and now they are back to get his car and drive home.

This drive gives the couple an extended amount of time to be alone. The time to sort out some of their issues. Time to discover each other on a newer deeper level. Actually there is very little about them that the other has not already figured out. Anyone who has closely looked at what 'Dating' actually means can see these two have been doing just that from the moment they met. The accepted definition of dating is the act of engaging in some agreed upon social activity in public or private as a couple. That definition fits these two like a glove If someone wanted to dig deep into the lives of this star crossed pair they saw how much time they actually did spend as a couple in social activity. They are more in tune with one another than many couples who have been married for years.

When they exit the shuttle bus they are blasted by the hot, humid Florida sun. Of course with the car sitting in the Florida sun for weeks the inside of the vehicle feels like a dry sauna. Castle starts the engine and cranks the AC to max while they are loading their bags into the trunk as quickly as they possibly can

When Castle originally started this trip he was moving on and away from a hopeless situation. A situation he saw no relief from. Now he just needs relief from the blazing heat

Three weeks have passed since he was originally here alone and now it is the two of them traveling together back up the coast. But before they make it back to the city, Rick has something to show Kate or actually someone to introduce Kate to. This someone will be a surprise for her

He called ahead and made sure it was ok for them to drop by for a visit and he was told that it would be wonderful to have him and Beckett drop by. In fact the hosts were excited to actually meet her

As they enter South Carolina, Kate notices Castle makes a turn off the interstate and begins heading in a direction she doesn't quite understand. They are moving away from the coastal highway toward the interior of the state

"Rick. Where are we going?" She asks with a real question in her voice

"A beautiful place filled with wonder. A place where I found my way" Rick responds

"What do you mean found your way? When were you here?"

"A few weeks ago. I came here and met someone who changed my direction".

This really has Kate wondering what this man has in his head. She trusts him. Totally and completely trusts him, but he can be as much mystery as his books on occasion.

When he turns the car into the circular drive Kate is taken back by the splendor of the home that she is gazing upon. When the car comes to a complete stop, the front door opens and a man appears

"Mr. Castle welcome back" The house manager James Young greets the pair. "Let me get your bags. I believe you know your way to the guest house?"

"Yes, James. Let me introduce you to Detective Kate Beckett from the NYPD" as Castle directs the attention to Kate

"Nice to meet you Ms. Beckett. Mr. Castle the Livingston's are very excited to have you back" James responds to the introduction

The trio walk thru the main house to the rear where Castle moves directly to the guest quarters and opens the door to allow James and Kate to enter. After the bags are placed, Rick thanks James. "I know you two are tired from the long drive dinner is at 7:00 so you two rest up" and he quickly bids farewell to the pair, leaves the cottage, and closes the door

Kate has a thousand questions for Rick "Castle. Where are we, who was that" pointing toward the door that just closed "and whose home is this anyway?"

"Kate, I lost my way a several weeks ago when I thought I had lost you forever and we no longer had a tomorrow together. Then I met someone who helped me. This is their home"

"Who are these people?" Kate is getting more curious by the minute

"Let's just say they are healers and leave it at that. Please wait until after dinner and you will see"

Beckett is not sure that she can wait, but it is evident Castle is not giving any more information right now.

The couple unpacks and grabs a quick shower before laying down for a short nap. Even though they are both horizontal in the same bed, this time they actually do fall asleep instead of other activities

Beckett wakes up when she hears voices coming from outside. She peers out the shutters and sees several couples on the patio milling around. She reaches over to awaken Castle only to see that he is already out of the bed.

"Castle! Who are these people? There are now several couples outside"

"Don't worry. I promise that they don't bite. Let's get ready and go join them"

When Rick and Kate step out to the garden they are acknowledged by several men and women. It is obvious to Kate that Castle has been here before as the calls several by name.

Then a woman appears who causes Kate to feel a throb in her chest

She recognizes the woman immediately. She will never forget how jealous she became when she first saw the photograph of this woman with her arms wrapped around Rick and a smile on her face from, ear to ear

"Rick so glad to see you again" Janice says with her deep southern accent as she wraps her arms around Rick. AGAIN

Kate's immediate thought is 'Who is this woman and WHAT is she doing grabbing my man?'

After the embrace breaks Janice says with glee. "You must be Kate Beckett I am so very glad to finally meet you. You and Rick just visit around. Dinner will be served shortly. You two enjoy"

After Janice walks off, Beckett grabs Castle by the shirt sleeve retreats into a corner where Kate looks at Rick "OK I recognize her. What is this about Castle? She is the woman you posted on your web page"

"Janice AND her husband gave me direction, so I wanted you to meet the couple that opened my eyes and showed me the error of my ways"

Kate is still confused by Castle's comment "Trust me Kate. You will see soon enough"

James steps out to the patio and announces "Dinner is served"

Inside at the table Kate and Rick are seated together opposite Janice .Hank is again placed at the head of the table

The meal is every bit as satisfying as his first meal with these wonderful hosts. Again the after dinner discussion is Castle's books but this time a large amount of the focus is on Kate and her alter ego, Nikki.

Kate is not intimidated with these fans as Rick had told her. They respect him and his stories

As before the evening winds down and the two couples are all that remain.

"Rick, I am so glad you came back and even more delighted to finally meet Kate" Hank is being very complimentary toward Beckett

"Janice, Hank I want you two to know something. My first visit here was an eye opener for me. When I was here I had just left New York not expecting to ever see this woman ever again" Rick looks at Kate

"The story of the struggles you two encountered brought me to my senses when it came to do with this woman beside me" Castle pulls Beckett even closer

"Janice would you mind re telling your story for Kate?" Castle requests

"Sure Rick"

These two repeat the story of how they almost didn't come together. The near misses and almost break ups and finally the story of Janice's son in the hospital that finally brought the couple to where they are now.

Rick looks over to Kate who has been totally silent during this tale of lost love but her eyes are filled with tears

"Hank, you telling me how you were afraid, how you couldn't find the words to tell Janice how you felt, reminded me of myself. I decided when I left here that I would find Kate and confess my feelings and face whatever fallout she choose to dispense because I thought I had no chance with her. But I would at least be honest with her"

Castle turns and looks at Kate

"I don't want to wait any longer" Castle takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out waiting for Beckett's response

"Kate Beckett. I love you today and have loved you for years. There I said it. If you want to leave, you can, but at least there is no question about how I feel"

Kate has pure love in her face for Castle. He can see it and so can their hosts

"Rick I love you too and I have felt this for a very long time as well"

"Roy gave you a week off. I don't want us to ever miss another tomorrow so…"

As Richard Castle turns to face Beckett he moves down to the ground

"Katherine Houghton Beckett I need to ask you something…"

Finis

* * *

**Thanks to everyone who read my story.**

**Until ? ? ?**

** Until...**

**Someday**


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